tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43288993391354698692015-03-03T17:33:08.548-05:00Teamster NationNews for the Teamster worker.Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comBlogger5903125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-61493126399901308102015-03-03T15:31:00.001-05:002015-03-03T17:19:10.832-05:00Dispatch from West Virginia: Feb. 26-Feb.28<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TYw9GVr0VG4/VPYKd5JMDtI/AAAAAAAATsk/w3etCKygcTU/s1600/WVA%2Bpacked%2Bgallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TYw9GVr0VG4/VPYKd5JMDtI/AAAAAAAATsk/w3etCKygcTU/s1600/WVA%2Bpacked%2Bgallery.jpg" height="121" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West Virginia workers packed the gallery to the House chamber.</td></tr></tbody></table>West Virginia workers are keeping a wary eye on the Legislature. They’re taking nothing for granted, even though the Senate Majority Leader said Friday that right to work is dead in West Virginia. Meanwhile, our Teamster on the Ground is working with the Mountain State’s unions to fight an effort to lower the prevailing wage:<br /><blockquote>It had been a long, hard-fought week by the time Senate Bill 361 -- the legislation seeking to lower West Virginia’s prevailing wage -- arrived on the House floor Saturday afternoon. Workers continued their strong presence following the bill's passage in committee Wednesday, returning to the Statehouse again Thursday and Friday to line the halls and committee rooms in hopes of lobbying House delegates to vote against the anti-worker measure. &nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>West Virginia Building Trades members continued to try to thwart the bill’s passage. Back in my hotel room I often catch a commercial they produced to run during the session, which now airs several times a day during the morning and evening news.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w4_fjwnoVt8/VPYJ2nXqpsI/AAAAAAAATsc/pJA7HIsFH-Q/s1600/wva%2Bsigns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w4_fjwnoVt8/VPYJ2nXqpsI/AAAAAAAATsc/pJA7HIsFH-Q/s1600/wva%2Bsigns.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>Hundreds of construction workers and union supporters swarmed the Capitol to attend Saturday’s vote in the biggest show of force since the February 16 rally on the Statehouse steps. Inside the House chamber, the galleries were crammed with construction workers, who looked down as delegates held a heated three-hour debate on the floor below. &nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>Many of our friends in the Legislature passionately spoke against the bill on the House floor. Some explained the long history of prevailing wage and its role providing for the state's middle class. Some dug deeper, questioning the notorious architects of the bill by referencing the special interests involved in authoring the bill's language. &nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>But of all the great speeches given that afternoon, the strongest case against SB361 came from Delegate Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio. “They don’t want it – the employers, and the employees surely don’t want this. Who wants this? Who’s pulling the strings down here?” he asked, adding, “We’re here for the people of West Virginia, here in the people’s chamber – not for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.”&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>Del. Mike Caputo, D-Marion, pledged his support to the West Virginia workforce: “Let me tell you what these people want,” he said. “They want to be treated fairly. They want a nice home to live in, and they want to send their kids to college.”&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>Despite our hope that state lawmakers would come to their senses and vote down the measure, the West Virginia House of Delegates voted 56-39 in favor of passing SB361.<br />“Everybody was hopeful, but everybody kinda knew the way it was going to go with the Republicans,” said one union worker following the vote.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>As the Senate prepares to vote on SB361 for final passage later this week, West Virginia unions will step up efforts with the Building Trades and friends in the Legislature to stop this bill from becoming law.&nbsp;</blockquote><br />Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-81153430307235493882015-03-03T07:01:00.001-05:002015-03-03T07:01:51.952-05:00Today's Teamster News 03.03.15<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><u1:p class=""></u1:p><u1:p class=""></u1:p>Teamsters</span></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2015/03/wisconsin-teamsters-continue-fight.html" rel="nofollow">Wisconsin Teamsters Continue the Fight Against Right to Work </a>&nbsp;TeamsterNation &nbsp; ...Wisconsin's indefatigable Teamsters were out in the cold wind in the state capital on Saturday, Sunday and today to protest the probable passage of a right-to-work (RTW) bill...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://teamster.org/news/2015/03/hoffa-ustr-and-administration-reopen-mexican-cross-border-trucking-issue" rel="nofollow">Hoffa to USTR and Administration: Reopen Mexican Cross-Border Trucking Issue</a> &nbsp;teamster.org &nbsp; ... In a letter to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa called on him and the administration to protect highway safety and reopen negotiations over Mexican cross-border trucking as part of the ongoing Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.epi.org/blog/new-data-add-fuel-to-arguments-against-the-trans-pacific-partnership/" rel="nofollow">New Data Add Fuel to Arguments Against the Trans-Pacific Partnership</a> &nbsp;Economic Policy Institute &nbsp; …New data released this month show that the U.S. trade deficit with the countries in the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) increased to an unexpectedly large $265.1 billion in 2014, as shown in the updated graph, below. This increase is further proof that U.S. workers don’t need another job-killing trade deal, which would undoubtedly grow the trade deficit even more...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.whav.net/cms/?p=7210" rel="nofollow">Using Hokey Numbers and Neon Lies to Sell TPP</a> (opinion) &nbsp;WHAV &nbsp; …TPP is not some sort of futuristic flying machine, but yet another global trade scam coming at us like a volcanic eruption straight out of hell. This thing is a “partnership” of, by, and for global corporations—similar to NAFTA, only much, much, much bigger and far more destructive both to the middle class and to our people’s sovereignty...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/foreign-policy/234014-we-need-a-voice-oppose-fast-track-for-the-tpp" rel="nofollow">We need a voice: Oppose ‘fast track’ for the TPP</a> (opinion) &nbsp;The Hill &nbsp; ...There’s a reason why nearly 600 national, state and local groups - including the national NAACP – signed onto a letter opposing “fast track” last fall. The people, particularly black, white, and Latino workers in North Carolina and across the south, need a voice in policies that affect our families...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-cohen/warren-versus-zients_b_6785392.html" rel="nofollow">TPP: Warren Versus Zients. Warren Wins</a> &nbsp;(opinion) &nbsp;Huffington Post &nbsp; …Jeff Zients, Director of the National Economic Council, …is parsing words. ISDS in fact allows multinationals to sue governments when they pass legislation after the enactment of the trade agreement that harms future corporate profits. The key word is "after," and all Zients is saying is that current regulations in the US, Vietnam or the other TPP nations would not be vulnerable…</span><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">State Battles</span></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/labor/234269-scott-walker-to-sign-anti-union-bill-that-will-increase-inequality" rel="nofollow">Scott Walker to sign anti-union bill that will make inequality worse</a> &nbsp;The Hill &nbsp; ...Instead of acting in the interests of ordinary Wisconsinites, Walker has swallowed hook, line and sinker the anti-union extremism of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which is linked to the Koch brothers...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2015/03/bill-black-scott-walkers-war-on-workers-and-the-wall-street-journals-cleaned-up-coverage.html" rel="nofollow">Bill Black: Scott Walker’s War on Workers and the Wall Street Journal’s Cleaned-Up Coverage </a>(opinion) &nbsp;naked capitalism &nbsp; …Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has channeled his inner Mitt Romney and written off an immense swath of Americans as people he would not represent if he were elected President...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://abc7news.com/careers/oaklands-minimum-wage-gets-big-hike-starting-monday/539808/" rel="nofollow">Oakland's Minimum Wage Gets Big Hike Starting Monday</a> &nbsp;ABC7 News &nbsp; ... The current $9 an hour minimum wage will increase nearly 36 percent to $12.25 an hour. It will be the highest minimum wage in the Bay Area...</span><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">War on Workers</span></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/03/how-student-debt-stunts-financial-growth/386300/" rel="nofollow">How Student Debt Stunts Financial Growth </a>&nbsp;The Atlantic &nbsp; ...Analysis reveals that 34 percent of students with just $5,000 of outstanding debt—hardly “high”—default on their student loans. Student debt imperils far more than just individual borrowers’ monthly budgets. It erodes higher education’s ability to deliver on the promise that those who have similar abilities and work equally hard will achieve similar outcomes...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://time.com/money/3725034/jobs-older-workers-improved/" rel="nofollow">The Suddenly Hot Job Market for Workers Over 50</a> &nbsp;Time &nbsp; ...The latest data show the unemployment rate for those over age 55 stands at just 4.1%, compared with 5.7% for the total population and a steep 18.8% for teens...&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/02/us-siliconvalley-hiring-lawsuit-idUSKBN0LY14Q20150302" rel="nofollow">Apple, Google workers head to court on $415 million poaching settlement</a> &nbsp;Reuters &nbsp; ...Workers accusing Apple (AAPL.O), Google (GOOGL.O) and two other Silicon Valley companies of conspiring to hold down salaries will try on Monday to win approval of a $415 million settlement from a U.S. judge who rejected an earlier deal as too low...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://finance-commerce.com/2015/03/construction-worker-killed-at-rochester-hotel-site/" rel="nofollow">Construction worker killed at Rochester hotel site</a> &nbsp;Associated Press &nbsp; …Authorities say a construction worker died after a large metal attachment from a forklift fell on his head in Rochester...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.equipmentworld.com/worker-killed-by-falling-telehandler-attachment-in-minnesota/" rel="nofollow">Worker killed by falling telehandler attachment in Minnesota </a>&nbsp;Equipment World &nbsp; …While working on a hotel jobsite in Minnesota, a worker was killed when an attachment from a telehandler suddenly fell on top of him...</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><b>Miscellaneous</b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-box-office-tops-us-778499" rel="nofollow">China Monthly Box Office Tops U.S. for First Time Ever</a> &nbsp;The Hollywood Reporter &nbsp; ...Chinese box-office revenue edged ahead of the United States in February for the first time ever as a record Lunar New Year bonanza brought in $650 million in the second-largest movie market, according to data from research firm Entgroup...</span><br /><br />Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-49646035610087961672015-03-02T13:48:00.003-05:002015-03-03T10:57:01.885-05:00Wisconsin Teamsters continue the fight against right to work<div class="tr_bq"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tqhod6cPG2A/VPSvMXiEwNI/AAAAAAAATsI/TJWHmho3H1o/s1600/bill%2Bcarroll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tqhod6cPG2A/VPSvMXiEwNI/AAAAAAAATsI/TJWHmho3H1o/s1600/bill%2Bcarroll.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local 344 President Bill Carroll.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="tr_bq">Wisconsin's indefatigable Teamsters were out in the cold wind in the state capital on Saturday, Sunday and today to protest the probable passage of a right-to-work (RTW) bill. That's not all they're doing, though. They are giving speeches, training stewards, holding craft meetings, testifying before the Senate and the Assembly and contributing to <a href="http://teamster.org/content/drive" rel="nofollow">DRIVE</a>.<br /><br />Rob Moss, Business Agent for <a href="http://teamster.org/locals/local-695" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Local 695</a> in LaCrosse, was at all the rallies. He tells us Bill Carroll, President of <a href="http://www.local344.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Local 344</a> in Milwaukee, member of Joint Council 39, revved up the crowd on Saturday:&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">Brother Bill Carroll gave a very inspiring speech on behalf of all <a href="http://teamster.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters</a>. He was very well received by the entire crowd. He was spot-on with his accuracy in regards to the right-to-work legislation. Brother Bill is one of Joint Council 39's political liaisons. Brother Carroll was very informative about the needs of all of the unions to keep their members informed and most of all to keep up the members' involvement in the union efforts in the political arena. &nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">It's important that everybody understands -- especially our members -- this is not the end of the world. We have to deal with the results of next week's vote if it comes to pass and is negative. We are holding steward seminars and craft meetings in our Joint Council 39 effort to enlighten our members as to the effects of RTW. Locals 695, 200 and <a href="http://www.teamsters662.com/" rel="nofollow">662</a> held those steward seminars the last two weeks with the help of our legal counsel.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">It's our hope that some of the Republicans would come to their senses and realize the harm Governor Walker is imposing on American working men and women.</blockquote><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ROy2rhCiuMU/VPSqP9TtJbI/AAAAAAAATro/AgdVita4-kk/s1600/tom%2Band%2Bmike%2Bdrive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ROy2rhCiuMU/VPSqP9TtJbI/AAAAAAAATro/AgdVita4-kk/s1600/tom%2Band%2Bmike%2Bdrive.jpg" height="320" width="247" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike Westphal (l) and Tom Millonzi.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table>Here's the kind of effort Wisconsin Teamsters are putting into the fight: Tom Millonzi, Secretary-Treasurer of <a href="http://teamsterslocal200.com/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Local 200</a> in Milwaukee, told us the subject of DRIVE came up during Saturday's stewards' training. And then:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Mike Westphal, who has been out on a workers' comp back surgery issue -- and who will not be returning to the job -- pulled out his checkbook and made a one-time $100 donation to DRIVE.&nbsp;</blockquote>The <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2015/03/12756/koch-owners-cheer-textbook-plays-wisconsin-alec-politicians" rel="nofollow">Center for Media and Democracy</a> reported something we all know: The right-to-work bill is being pushed by special interests linked to the Koch brothers:<br /><blockquote>As the Wisconsin legislature gets ready to ram through a union-busting bill that will significantly impact the economy of the entire state, Wisconsin's newest member of the Senate asked perhaps the most pertinent question of her Republican colleagues: "what beating hearts are for this bill?"&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>The question was posed by Janet Bewley (D-Ashland) who was elected to the Wisconsin Senate in November 2014. She represents the far north where bitter winds and waves make spectacular ice caves that bring thousands to the frozen shores of Lake Superior.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>Bewley noted that the bill, which harms unions by allowing workers to opt out of paying their fair share for union representation, was moving so fast that most of her constituents, who get their news from weekly newspapers that come on Thursday, would not even learn about it before the Senate vote.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>While Democratic senators read letter after letter from workers and business leaders objecting to the measure that will lower wages and up-end critical training programs for builders and laborers, Brewley highlighted something the average observer might not notice: "I have not heard one person in the outer ring [of Republicans] speak of a single beating heart that is for this bill."&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>But that matters little to the array of special interests that have arrived in Wisconsin to provide "experts" and astroturf cover for the anti-worker measure.</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CvXDvrs522Q/VPSunDqevCI/AAAAAAAATsA/3k_DxhRoxTk/s1600/wisco%2Brally%2Bpay%2Bur%2Bdues.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CvXDvrs522Q/VPSunDqevCI/AAAAAAAATsA/3k_DxhRoxTk/s1600/wisco%2Brally%2Bpay%2Bur%2Bdues.jpg" height="283" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good advice.</td></tr></tbody></table>We'll try to post Brother Bill Carroll's speech soon. Keep an eye out!<br /><br />Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-76376499075840882632015-03-02T07:38:00.003-05:002015-03-02T07:38:57.194-05:00Today's Teamster News 03.02.15<b>Teamsters</b><br /><a href="http://womensenews.org/story/equal-payfair-wage/150228/wage-segregation-robs-women-in-peak-earning-years" rel="nofollow">Wage Segregation Robs Women in Peak Earning Years</a> &nbsp;WeNews &nbsp; …Some women are beginning to challenge these practices. Among them is Teamsters Local 237, the union that represented the 5,000 school safety agents in New York in the four-year lawsuit against the city...<br /><b>Trade</b><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/01/bernie-sanders-media-tpp_n_6777248.html" rel="nofollow">Bernie Sanders Calls Out Media For Not Covering Obama's Trade Deal</a> &nbsp;Huffington Post &nbsp; …Adding to the chorus of protest over President Obama’s push for a controversial new trade pact with Asia, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sounded off on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and accused mainstream media of not covering what could be one of the biggest trade agreements in history...<br /><a href="http://theweek.com/articles/541654/big-trade-deals-never-seem-work-america" rel="nofollow">Why big trade deals never seem to work for America</a> &nbsp;The Week &nbsp; …The boosts to America’s conglomerate national income brought about by recent free trade deals have gone overwhelmingly to the elite, while overseas competition has hollowed out a lot of the manufacturing jobs that supported the middle class. If you look at changes in global income over the last quarter-century, just about the only group that hasn’t seen any serious growth is roughly the top quarter — right where the U.S. working and middle class sits. But the global elite have made out like bandits...<br /><b>State Battles</b><br /><a href="http://fox6now.com/2015/03/01/right-to-work-legislation-heads-to-the-assembly-public-hearing-set-for-monday-morning/" rel="nofollow">Right-to-Work legislation heads to the Assembly; public hearing set for Monday morning</a> &nbsp;WITI &nbsp; …The Wisconsin Assembly on Monday, March 2nd will take up “Right-to-Work” legislation. This, after the Wisconsin Senate last week voted 17-15 to send Senate Bill 44 to the Assembly...<br /><a href="http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82925973/" rel="nofollow">Scott Walker, GOP presidential hopeful, is poised to sign Wisconsin's right-to-work law</a> &nbsp;Los Angeles Times &nbsp; …For Gov. Scott Walker, who ignited a spate of anti-union activity in recent years and has risen to become a national figure in the Republican Party, the new law is part of a platform that some see as strong enough to carry him to the presidential nomination...<br /><a href="http://www.washtimesherald.com/columns/war-on-working-hoosiers/article_abb665c3-bf5d-5062-a92e-2c0e81b6f81b.html" rel="nofollow">War on Working Hoosiers</a> &nbsp;Times Herald Online &nbsp; …House Democrats introduced a bill to raise the minimum wage in Indiana to $9 an hour. Predictably the Republican controlled House killed the measure quickly in committee. ... The state has gained a reputation as a low wage alternative for less than skilled jobs. A recent study found that of the 50 states Indiana now has one of the highest percentages of its workforce working at or below minimum wage. Almost 7 percent of all Hoosiers are minimum wage workers...<br /><b>War on Workers</b><br /><a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/corporate-borrowing-now-flows-shareholders-not-productive-investment-study-1829882" rel="nofollow">Corporate Borrowing Now Flows To Shareholders, Not Productive Investment: Study</a> &nbsp;International Business Times &nbsp; …fresh research shows that in the past three decades corporations increasingly borrow simply to reward shareholders...<br /><a href="http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/accounting-gimmicks-social-security-5696" rel="nofollow">"Accounting Gimmicks" in Social Security</a> &nbsp;The Economic Populist &nbsp; …The first attack on Social Security this year was with the false accusation that there was rampant fraud in the disability program, when two different reports show only 0.4% fraud in the program — far less than any other government program — and probably far less than employee theft in the private sector — and much less that's found in the defense industry...<br /><br />Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-47712120054014950142015-03-01T09:12:00.001-05:002015-03-01T09:12:17.954-05:00Today's Teamster News 03.01.15<b>Teamsters</b><br /><a href="http://www.wfmj.com/story/28228393/teamsters-picket-car-hauler-outside-gm-lordstown-plant" rel="nofollow">Teamsters picket car hauler outside GM Lordstown plant </a>&nbsp;WFMJ &nbsp; …A local union gathered in Lordstown at the General Motors plant – not to protest GM, but to picket the company that transports the finished cars…<br /><a href="http://teamster.org/news/2015/02/nashville-chapter-tnbc-holds-successful-awards-banquet" rel="nofollow">Nashville Chapter TNBC Holds Successful Awards Banquet</a> &nbsp;teamster.org &nbsp; …The Nashville Middle TN Valley Chapter of the Teamsters National Black Caucus (TNBC) held its Third Annual awards banquet titled “Education and Accountability” on February 21, 2015 in Nashville, TN. The event was successful despite the icy weather conditions that night...<br /><b>Trade</b><br /><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/02/wyden_should_side_with_merkley.html" rel="nofollow">Wyden should side with Merkley, working families on trade agreement</a> (OPINION) &nbsp;oregon Live &nbsp; …Because of his seniority on the Senate Finance Committee, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden has a pivotal role in determining the future of the TPP… Given what we know of the trade pact, Wyden's stated concern for the middle class should make him a skeptic, if not an adamant opponent, of the TPP...<br /><b>State Battles</b><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/28/right-to-work-protests_n_6775886.html" rel="nofollow">Thousands Protest Wisconsin's Right-To-Work Bill At The State's Capitol</a> &nbsp;Reuters &nbsp; …Wisconsin unions bused in thousands of workers from around the state on Saturday to demonstrate against the impending adoption of a law that would ban private sector workers from being required to join a union or pay dues...<br /><b>War on Workers</b><br /><a href="http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2015/03/austerity-kills-economic-distress-seen-culprit-sharp-rise-suicide-rate-among-middle-aged.html" rel="nofollow">Austerity Kills: Economic Distress Seen as Culprit in Sharp Rise in Suicide Rate Among Middle Aged</a> &nbsp;naked capitalism &nbsp; …Suicide rates for adults between 40 and 64 years of age in the U.S. have risen about 40% since 1999, with a sharp rise since 2007. One possible explanation could be the detrimental effects of the economic downturn of 2007-2009, leading to disproportionate effects on house values, household finances, and retirement savings for that age group...<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/01/business/out-of-trouble-but-criminal-records-keep-men-out-of-work.html?_r=0" rel="nofollow">Out of Trouble, but Criminal Records Keep Men Out of Work</a> &nbsp;New York Times &nbsp; …The share of American men with criminal records — particularly black men — grew rapidly in recent decades as the government pursued aggressive law enforcement strategies, especially against drug crimes. In the aftermath of the Great Recession, those men are having particular trouble finding work. Men with criminal records account for about 34 percent of all nonworking men ages 25 to 54...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/27/education-department-debt-collection_n_6773286.html" rel="nofollow">Education Department Terminates Contracts With Debt Collectors Accused Of Wrongdoing </a>&nbsp;Huffington Post &nbsp; …The U.S. Department of Education, under fire for its lackluster oversight of student loan contractors, said Friday it will terminate its relationship with five debt collectors after accusing them of misleading distressed borrowers at "unacceptably high rates."...<br /><a href="http://angrybearblog.com/2015/02/guest-post-how-wages-in-services-vs-goods-producing-jobs-explain-relative-gdp-growth-during-recoveries-hint-producing-goods-is-better.html" rel="nofollow">How wages in services vs. goods-producing jobs explain relative GDP growth during Recoveries (Hint: producing goods is better)</a> &nbsp;Angry Bear &nbsp; …The singular difference between losses in the Great Recession and the 3 previous ones is that, in prior recessions, service jobs were relatively untouched, while in the Great Recession, nearly as many service jobs were lost (4.5 million) as were goods-producing jobs (5.0 million)...<br /><br />Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-1820248214568618332015-02-28T06:38:00.001-05:002015-02-28T06:38:58.045-05:00Today's Teamster News 02.28.15<b>Teamsters</b><br /><a href="http://teamster.org/news/2015/02/drivers-apple-yahoo-ebay-zynga-genentech-and-amtrak-join-teamsters" rel="nofollow">Drivers For Apple, Yahoo, EBay, Zynga, Genentech and Amtrak Join Teamsters</a> &nbsp;teamster.org &nbsp; … Drivers who transport employees for six big Silicon Valley companies have voted overwhelmingly 104 to 38 in favor of representation by Teamsters Local 853 in San Leandro, Calif... <br /><a href="http://teamster.org/news/2015/02/cdt-workers-ratify-first-union-contract" rel="nofollow">CDT Workers Ratify First Union Contract</a> &nbsp;teamster.org &nbsp; ...Nine months after emphatically voting to join Teamsters Local 727, nearly 700 paratransit drivers, garage attendants, dispatchers and customer service representatives at Cook DuPage Transportation (CDT) in Chicago have ratified their first union contract...<br /><a href="http://bangordailynews.com/2015/02/27/business/shaws-fights-teamsters-effort-to-unionize-maine-pharmacists/" rel="nofollow">Shaw’s fights Teamsters’ effort to unionize Maine pharmacists</a> &nbsp;Bangor Daily News &nbsp; ...Shaw’s Supermarkets is fighting an effort by the Teamsters union to organize the chain’s pharmacists at 16 stores in Maine, arguing its pharmacy managers are supervisors and therefore are not able to join a labor union...<br /><b>Trade</b><br /><a href="http://www.politico.com/morningtrade/0215/morningtrade17283.html" rel="nofollow">Trade critics take to Senate floor — Cutler: U.S., Japan close to deal — Anti-TPP group threatens Wyden with primary</a> &nbsp;Politico &nbsp; ...A group of President Barack Obama’s fellow Democrats took to the Senate floor Thursday to oppose his flagship trade initiative, the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, which they said would lead to big job losses and give big corporations too much power over public health and safety laws...<br /><a href="http://crooksandliars.com/2015/02/sen-elizabeth-warren-warns-tpps-potential" rel="nofollow">Sen. Elizabeth Warren Kicks Off Assault Against Secret Trade Agreement</a> &nbsp;Crooks and Liars &nbsp; ...Elizabeth Warren is going after the TPP (yay!) and the White House is saying, oh, you misunderstood. But we've already seen the kind of insane copyright protections this administration wants - the kind that makes it impossible for other countries to make generic copies of needed medication, for instance...<br /><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-31631461" rel="nofollow">TTIP: Transatlantic Trade Deal Text Leaked To BBC</a> &nbsp;BBC News &nbsp; ...The trade union Unite said "real risks" remained because of the dispute resolution mechanism TTIP is expected to include. The union's Scottish regional secretary, Pat Rafferty said: "Last week Lord Livingston tried to pull the wool over the eyes of the Scottish people...<br /><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomzeller/2015/02/26/canada-wont-take-no-for-an-answer-on-keystone-xl/" rel="nofollow">Canada Won't Take 'No' For An Answer On Keystone&nbsp;XL</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Forbes &nbsp; ...Canada’s leadership, including its prime minister, Stephen Harper, has repeatedly made clear its annoyance with the Obama administration’s Hamlet-like deliberations over the pipeline, suggesting that American rejection of the proposed project —&nbsp;which requires a special permit from the White House to cross the border —&nbsp;was simply not an option...<br /><b>State Battles</b><br /><a href="http://www.wchstv.com/news/features/eyewitness-news/stories/WV-Senate-Leader-Says-Right-To-Work-Bill-Dead-This-Session-91787.shtml#.VPGmIChELww" rel="nofollow">WV Senate Leader Says Right-To-Work Bill Dead This Session</a> &nbsp;Associated Press &nbsp; …Senate Majority Leader Mitch Carmichael said a push to make West Virginia a right-to-work state is dead this session...<br /><a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/26/no-one-in-wisconsin-except-special-interests-asked-to-kill-unions.html" rel="nofollow">No One in Wisconsin Asked to Kill Unions Except Special Interests</a> &nbsp;The Daily Beast &nbsp; ...This death warrant for unions wasn’t drafted in Wisconsin though. The fingerprints of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a right-wing special-interest group, were found all over the bill. Nevertheless, Governor Scott Walker is ready to sign it after dealing unions a mortal wound in 2011 by ending the right to collective bargaining for public employees...<br /><a href="http://lasvegassun.com/news/2015/feb/26/school-bond-prevailing-wage-bill-faces-bumpy-assem/" rel="nofollow">Construction Workers Rally Against Eliminating Prevailing Wage</a> &nbsp;Las Vegas Sun &nbsp; ...Union and nonunion workers overwhelmed hallways and committee rooms. They marched outside, waved banners and filled committee rooms to watch lawmakers vet SB119, one of the most controversial bills in this year's legislative session...<br /><a href="http://billmoyers.com/2015/02/26/maine-shows-public-finance-can-work-everyone/" rel="nofollow">Maine Shows That Publicly Financed Elections Really Can Work</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Moyers and Company &nbsp; ...It worked well for several cycles. Hundreds of candidates were able to run and win office without prostrating themselves before big donors and lobbyists. Farmers, waitresses, and others who usually can’t make their voice heard in politics were able to go to Maine’s state capital Augusta and represent their constituents free from the influence of special interest cash...<br /><b>War on Workers</b><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/27/chicago-petcoke-koch-brothers_n_6755040.html" rel="nofollow">How One Community Is Kicking The Koch Brothers' Harmful Black Dust Out Of Their Neighborhood</a> &nbsp;Huffington Post &nbsp; ...It’s not easy to take on a wealthy, multi-national corporation and win. Especially for residents of Chicago’s struggling southeast side. But that’s exactly what's happening on the banks of the Calumet River, where the steel plants that used to give residents of a mostly Hispanic neighborhood access to a middle-class lifestyle were replaced, nearly two years ago, with black dust called petroleum coke (“petcoke”) piled five or six stories tall...<br /><a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20150227_ap_231c611477ff43b0abcd2cf45cbf4346.html#RKYYYOdECfsvi3t7.99" rel="nofollow">Oil Train Wrecks Increase Pressure For Tougher Safety Rules</a> &nbsp;Philadelphia Inquirer &nbsp; ...Fiery wrecks of trains hauling crude oil have intensified pressure on the Obama administration to approve tougher standards for railroads and tank cars despite industry complaints that it could cost billions and slow freight deliveries...<br /><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/railroads-want-one-man-crews-massive-freight-trains-n308541" rel="nofollow">Railroads Want One-Man Crews On Massive Freight Trains</a> &nbsp;NBC News &nbsp; ...Railroads have proposed eliminating the job of on-board conductor on most trains, leaving just an engineer aboard. The workers argue that one-person crews will mean more out-of-control trains, like the runaway that caused the Lac-Mégantic disaster in 2013...<br /><a href="http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/latestlocalnews/2948845-8/mabton-dairy-worker-dies-in-manure-lagoon-accident" rel="nofollow">L&amp;I Probing Death Of Mabton Dairy Worker</a> &nbsp;Yakima Herald Republic &nbsp; ...State workplace safety officials are investigating the drowning in a manure lagoon Wednesday of a 27-year-old old dairy employee...<br /><b>Miscellaneous</b><br /><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/consumer-price-index-down-0-7-in-january-1424958010" rel="nofollow">Gas’s Drop Drives U.S. Into Deflation Territory</a> &nbsp;Wall Street Journal &nbsp; ...Driven by a tumble in oil prices since mid-2014, the consumer-price index fell 0.1% in January from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Thursday. It was the first year-over-year decrease since October 2009. Prices fell 0.7% from December...Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-30495079856891825112015-02-27T16:23:00.000-05:002015-02-27T16:23:01.470-05:00Teamsters and allies rally against fast track trade authority for TPP<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4yev5OiZjDI/VPDNjyzC5BI/AAAAAAAATp8/T-yhLMUUKNA/s1600/TPP%2Brally%2BMaryland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4yev5OiZjDI/VPDNjyzC5BI/AAAAAAAATp8/T-yhLMUUKNA/s1600/TPP%2Brally%2BMaryland.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teamsters and allies have a message for U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table>Teamsters rallied today in Rockville, Md., to urge congressman <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Van_Hollen" rel="nofollow">Chris Van Hollen</a> to stand with Marylanders and all working families to oppose fast track legislation.<br /><br />They were joined by concerned citizens and environmentalists in Courthouse Square Park near the congressman's office. Van Hollen, a Democrat, has not committed to opposing a bill to fast track secretive trade deals that lower wages and cost jobs.<br /><br />Thomas Ratliff, President of Teamsters Local 639 in Washington, D.C., said fast track is the wrong track:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Fast track will let Congress rubber-stamp the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which will lower wages, send jobs overseas, and undermine our food safety.</blockquote>Our allies at the <a href="http://sierraclub.org/" rel="nofollow">Sierra Club</a> sent out a <a href="http://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2015/02/marylanders-rally-fair-trade-urge-rep-van-hollen-stop-fast-track" rel="nofollow">press release</a> about the action:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Fast track would allow the executive branch to send already-signed trade agreements to Congress for limited debate, no amendments, and a straight up-or-down vote, thereby limiting the ability of Congress to ensure that trade agreements protect communities and the public. This would include the TPP and any other trade deals going forward.<br /><br />“Communities across the country are taking action to rebuild their broken food systems from the ground up,” said Karen Hansen-Kuhn, Director of International Strategies at the <a href="http://www.iatp.org/" rel="nofollow">Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy</a>. “The trade rules in TPP would threaten those achievements. We need to find ways to raise food, environment, and climate standards to their highest levels on terms that are fair to farmers and consumers. But to do that we need to say no to fast track, and yes to democracy and food sovereignty.”<br /><br />Environmentalists are concerned that fast tracking the TPP would threaten environmental safeguards and encourage corporate attacks on clean air and water protections. Previous fast track bills have failed to address how trade deals should adequately protect the environment.<br /><br />“Trade policy should include strong and binding environmental provisions that commit to reduce air and water pollution, protect endangered species, ban trade in illegally taken wildlife, and fight climate disruption. It must be legally binding with enforcement provisions, obligating countries and investors to uphold domestic environmental protections and safeguards,” said Stan Boyd, Executive Committee Member of the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club. “We call on Congressman Chris Van Hollen to vote against fast track, which rushes trade pacts through Congress without oversight and protections.”</blockquote>The rally was hosted by the Sierra Club, <a href="http://www.citizen.org/Page.aspx?pid=183" rel="nofollow">Public Citizen</a>, <a href="http://teamster.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters</a>, <a href="http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/" rel="nofollow">Food and Water Watch</a>, <a href="http://cwa-union.org/" rel="nofollow">Communication Workers of America</a>, <a href="http://www.afscme.org/" rel="nofollow">AFSCME</a>&nbsp;and others.Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-27679635379517367462015-02-27T07:42:00.000-05:002015-02-27T07:42:03.194-05:00Today's Teamster News 02.27.15<b>Teamsters</b><br /><a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_27596506/eyeing-shuttle-bus-drivers-union-tries-grab-more" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Seek To Unionize More Tech Shuttle Bus Drivers In Silicon Valley</a> &nbsp;San Jose Mercury News &nbsp; ...Shuttle bus drivers for five prominent tech companies will decide whether to unionize on Friday in a vote that has the potential to dramatically expand organized labor's territory in Silicon Valley and embolden others in the tech industry's burgeoning class of service workers to demand better working conditions...<br /><a href="http://www.rttnews.com/2462166/cn-teamsters-represented-rail-traffic-controllers-in-canada-ratify-labour-deal.aspx" rel="nofollow">Teamsters-Represented Rail Traffic Controllers In Canada Ratify Labour Deal</a> &nbsp;RTT News &nbsp; ...Canadian National Railway Co. announced that members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference-Rail Canada Traffic Controllers union have ratified a new labour agreement. The four-year agreement covers approximately 180 rail traffic controllers in Canada...<br /><a href="http://teamster.org/news/2015/02/roma-warehouse-workers-california-win-teamster-representation" rel="nofollow">Roma Warehouse Workers In California Win Teamster Representation</a> &nbsp;teamster.org &nbsp; …California warehouse workers at Roma Food, a Performance Food Group company, have voted by a 3-1 margin in favor of joining Teamsters Local 630 in Los Angeles, Calif. All 53 workers in the bargaining unit participated in the Feb. 25 election...<br /><a href="http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2015/02/bill_to_eliminate_michigans_fi.html" rel="nofollow">Bill To Eliminate Michigan's Film Incentives Gains Traction In House Committee</a> &nbsp;MLive &nbsp; ...Unions and supporters of the film industry testified against the bill in the House Tax Policy Committee on Wednesday. "We took those jobs from Hollywood and brought them here," said Bill Black, Legislative Liaison for the Teamsters Local 337 in Michigan...<br /><a href="http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12049002/swissport-servisair-yyz-below-the-wing-workers-pick-teamsters-over-usw" rel="nofollow">Swissport/Servisair YYZ Below-The-Wing Workers Pick Teamsters Over USW</a> &nbsp;Aviation Pros &nbsp; ...Servisair and Swissport below-the-wing employees in Toronto chose the Teamsters over the United Steelworkers as their union, in a representational vote conducted by the CIRB...<br /><b>Trade</b><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/kill-the-dispute-settlement-language-in-the-trans-pacific-partnership/2015/02/25/ec7705a2-bd1e-11e4-b274-e5209a3bc9a9_story.html" rel="nofollow">The Trans-Pacific Partnership clause everyone should oppose</a> (opinion) &nbsp;Washington Post &nbsp; ...The United States is in the final stages of negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a massive free-trade agreement with Mexico, Canada, Japan, Singapore and seven other countries. Who will benefit from the TPP? American workers? Consumers? Small businesses? Taxpayers? Or the biggest multinational corporations in the world?...<br /><a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/elizabeth-warren-target-trans-pacific-trade-deals-115561.html" rel="nofollow">Elizabeth Warren’s next target: Trade deals </a>&nbsp;Politico &nbsp; …The Massachusetts senator is stepping up her criticism of the administration’s proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership, a centerpiece of the president’s second-term agenda, saying it could allow multinational corporations to gut U.S. regulations and win big settlements funded by U.S. taxpayers but decided by an international tribunal...<br /><a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/02/26/us-usa-trade-tpp-idUKKBN0LU2J720150226" rel="nofollow">White House sees China as trump card in trade debate</a> &nbsp;Reuters &nbsp; ...The Obama administration is confident lawmakers will warm up to a proposed Pacific free trade deal on the grounds that it is a chance for America to dictate the rules of Asian trade rather than China, a top official said on Thursday...<br /><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/26/1367162/-Nurses-sound-a-CODE-BLUE-in-D-C-on-Fast-Track-and-TPP#" rel="nofollow">Nurses sound a CODE BLUE in D.C. on Fast Track and TPP</a> &nbsp;Daily Kos &nbsp; ...With the White House and some of the biggest multinational corporations lobbying Congress to “fast track" the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a massive trade deal between the United States and 11 other countries, National Nurses United today converged on the nation’s capital to explain that what’s good for investors’ balance sheets is not necessarily good for patients...<br /><a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/keystone-pipeline-nafta-115511.html#ixzz3SsEippJF" rel="nofollow">NAFTA’s Specter May Haunt Keystone Verdict</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Politico &nbsp; ...The 21-year-old free-trade pact allows foreign companies or governments to haul the U.S. in front of an international tribunal to face accusations of putting their investments at risk through regulations or other decisions. The CEO of Keystone developer TransCanada has raised the prospect as a potential last resort if Obama rejects the $8 billion project, although for now the company is focused on getting him to say yes...<br /><b>State Battles</b><br /><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/234037-walker-i-took-on-unions-i-can-take-on-isis" rel="nofollow">Walker: I took on unions, I can take on ISIS</a> &nbsp;The Hill &nbsp; …Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) argued his fight with unions has prepared him to be commander in chief during his speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference. "If I can take on 100,000 protestors, I can do the same across the world," Walker said in response to a question about international terrorism...<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/opinion/wisconsin-workers-and-the-2016-election.html?_r=0" rel="nofollow">Wisconsin, Workers and the 2016 Election</a> &nbsp;New York Times &nbsp; ...In a nation where the long decline in unions has led to a pervasive slump in wages, Republicans’ support for anti-union legislation is at odds with their professed commitments to helping the middle class...<br /><a href="http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-wisconsin-right-to-work-20150226-story.html" rel="nofollow">Wisconsin is poised to become the 25th right-to-work state</a> &nbsp;Los Angeles Times &nbsp; ...Sometime in the next few weeks, Wisconsin will likely become the 25th state to get a right-to-work law, opposed by organized labor because it eliminates the requirement that workers must pay union fees...<br /><a href="http://www.abqjournal.com/546606/news/breaking-house-approves-right-to-work-bill-on-37-30-vote.html" rel="nofollow">House Passes Right-To-Work Bill On 37-30 Vote</a> &nbsp;Albuquerque Journal &nbsp; ...A bruising political battle over whether to add New Mexico to the list of states with right-to-work laws is moving on to the Senate after the House voted 37-30 late Wednesday to approve the change in state labor laws...<br /><a href="http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/legislature/right-to-work-clears-house-but-faces-tough-battle-in/article_648d54d2-bb8b-550d-a4ad-5767d9a845cc.html" rel="nofollow">‘Right-to-work’ clears House but faces tough battle in Senate </a>Santa Fe New Mexican &nbsp; ...Last week, both Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith of Deming and Senate President Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen of Las Cruces publicly committed not to helping Senate Republicans “blast” the bill to the Senate floor if the legislation gets stuck in a Senate committee, as expected. Without those two conservative Democrats, even backers of the bill say privately that this greatly hurts the chances of the bill to pass...<br /><a href="http://newsdemocratleader.com/news/news/152029520/Logan-County-becomes-Right-to-Work" rel="nofollow">Logan County Becomes Right-To-Work</a> &nbsp;News-Democrat Leader &nbsp; ...By passing a Right-to-Work ordinance, Logan County officially agrees with a law that prohibits union security agreements, or agreements between labor unions and employers, that govern the extent to which an established union can require employees’ membership, payment of union dues, or fees as a condition of employment, either before or after hiring...<br /><a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2015/02/midland_lawmaker_proposes_exte.html" rel="nofollow">Michigan Right To Work Law Would Extend To Police, Firefighters Under Midland Lawmaker's Proposal</a> &nbsp;MLive &nbsp; ...A newly-elected state representative from Midland has drafted legislation&nbsp;to extend the reach of Michigan's Right to Work law to public safety personnel, the only union members exempt under the 2012 law...<br /><a href="http://wvmetronews.com/2015/02/25/prevailing-wage-bill-clears-first-house-hurdle/" rel="nofollow">Prevailing Wage Bill Clears First House Hurdle</a> &nbsp;West Virginia Metro News &nbsp; ...The measure, which has passed the Senate, would transfer the responsibility of determining the wage from the Division of Labor to WorkForce West Virginia and business experts from West Virginia University and Marshall...<br /><b>War on Workers</b><br /><a href="http://www.oftwominds.com/blogfeb15/repair2-15.html" rel="nofollow">Why It's So Difficult to Repair Stuff: It's Made That Way</a> &nbsp; of two minds &nbsp; ... once Corporate America books the sale, they're done with customers...<br /><a href="http://gawker.com/new-york-couple-accused-of-torturing-housekeeper-over-m-1688386182" rel="nofollow">New York Couple Accused of Torturing Housekeeper Over Missing Jewelry</a> &nbsp;Gawker &nbsp; …A couple in Bayside, Queens is accused of kidnapping their housekeeper at knifepoint, allegedly burning her body with a plumber's torch while questioning her about missing cash and jewelry...<br /><a href="http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/28212653/worker-killed-by-lift-at-sarasota-mall" rel="nofollow">Worker killed by lift at Sarasota mall</a> &nbsp;FOX 13 Tampa Bay &nbsp; …Deputies say a man was crushed to death by a scissor lift at the Westfield Sarasota Square shopping mall...<br /><b>Miscellaneous</b><br /><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/02/26/389259382/net-neutrality-up-for-vote-today-by-fcc-board" rel="nofollow">FCC Approves Net Neutrality Rules For 'Open Internet'</a> &nbsp;NPR &nbsp; ...The Federal Communications Commission approved the policy known as net neutrality by a 3-2 vote at its Thursday meeting, with FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler saying the policy will ensure "that no one — whether government or corporate — should control free open access to the Internet."...Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-90866048719642104542015-02-26T17:03:00.000-05:002015-02-27T09:35:43.455-05:00Teamsters protest Sprouts Farmers Market in Bakersfield, Calif.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nAJrIWDSwwM/VO-Rr_uhOjI/AAAAAAAATpU/xpmV0yfAGx4/s1600/sprouts%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nAJrIWDSwwM/VO-Rr_uhOjI/AAAAAAAATpU/xpmV0yfAGx4/s1600/sprouts%2B1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Protesting Sprouts in Bakersfield, Calif.</td></tr></tbody></table>Teamsters protested Sprouts Farmers Market at its Bakersfield, Calif., grand opening yesterday because the company is supplied by UNFI, which violates health codes and abuses communities and workers.<br /><br />Teamsters were joined at the protest by grocery distribution workers and community leaders. They distributed balloons and leaflets that read, “Sprouts: Unhealthy for our Community,” and fly swatters that read, “Shop &amp; Swat at Sprouts.” <br /><br />Marc Moran, an organizer at <a href="http://www.teamstersjc42.com/index.php/about-us/executive-board" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Joint Council 42</a> in Pomona, Calif., said:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">UNFI and Sprouts both claim to be values-driven organizations. Both companies have benefited from consumers’ shift toward food and groceries that are perceived to be ethically sourced in a sustainable manner. We are here today to inform the public about UNFI’s unconscionable behavior.</blockquote>UNFI has $6 billion in revenue and is America’s largest organic and natural foods wholesaler. Sprouts Farmers Market was taken public by private equity firm Apollo Global Management, which is still a major direct holder of Sprouts.<br /><br />In Moreno Valley, Calif., UNFI broke federal laws that protect workers’ rights when it intimidated, threatened and fired workers. In November 2014, the federal government certified the Teamsters Union as the drivers’ union in Moreno Valley after UNFI managed to delay the ballot counting for over a year on a technicality. Yet, UNFI still refuses to recognize the workers’ union.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Spf2riB5Jo8/VO-W2_wU-PI/AAAAAAAATpk/ymBnztjVgXo/s1600/sprouts%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Spf2riB5Jo8/VO-W2_wU-PI/AAAAAAAATpk/ymBnztjVgXo/s1600/sprouts%2B2.jpg" height="326" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the protest against Sprouts.</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="http://teamster.org/content/steve-vairma" rel="nofollow">Steve Vairma</a>, Teamsters Warehouse Division Director, said:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">It’s time for UNFI to stop the bullying and stop the intimidation. Over the years, UNFI has tried to undermine workers who have asserted their rights protected by United States law, even where the Teamsters have been certified as the workers’ union through federally supervised elections. UNFI wants to destroy its workers’ fundamental rights to join together to improve their working conditions.</blockquote>Randy Korgan, Organizing Director for <a href="http://www.teamsters63.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Local 63</a> in Covina, Calif., described how UNFI intimidates workers: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Whenever a group of workers at a UNFI warehouse or truck yard attempt to form a union, UNFI management brutalizes them with a barrage of tactics based on contempt and fear, solely for the purpose of intimidating their own workers. It's time Sprouts took a stand to stop this illegal bullying behavior in their supply chain. We expect that Sprouts, with its claim to be values-driven, would tell its suppliers to treat the local workers and local community with respect.</blockquote>Across America, UNFI has taken massive tax subsidies while local school systems struggle. UNFI recently built a warehouse in this manner in Hudson Valley, N.Y. The company took 15 years’ worth of tax breaks, even though the community has experienced major cuts in the local school district’s education budget and has seen property taxes rise.<br /><br />Organic consumers also worry that UNFI, with its acquisition of Sacramento, Calif.-based Tony’s Fine Foods, is veering away from a professed commitment to organic food – possibly straying toward factory farming and undermining the further growth of sustainable farming and food consumption.<br /><br />Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-24635234955294419342015-02-26T16:12:00.002-05:002015-02-26T16:12:10.675-05:00Steve Earle, working man's warrior, releases new album<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eF9w7_LpFuA/VO95G1-JyYI/AAAAAAAATow/_jrFi9wZ4zc/s1600/steve-earl_banner_1_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eF9w7_LpFuA/VO95G1-JyYI/AAAAAAAATow/_jrFi9wZ4zc/s1600/steve-earl_banner_1_3.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve Earle.</td></tr></tbody></table>Back in 2011, when Wisconsin <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2014/06/job-killer-scott-walker-goes-to-new.html" rel="nofollow"><strike>job-killer</strike></a> Gov. Scott Walker began his war on workers, American music icon Steve Earle said “Collective bargaining for working people is a fundamental component of democracy, and we can’t afford to let it slip away.” <br /><br />He had <a href="http://theboot.com/steve-earle-union-workers/" rel="nofollow">just released the songs ‘Harlan Man‘ and ‘The Mountain‘</a> on a two-track digital single, with all proceeds benefiting the America Votes Labor Unity Fund via SaveWorkers. The songs depicted life as a card-carrying union member.<br /><br />So it is fitting that this workingman’s warrior has released his latest collection of songs as all eyes are once again on Wisconsin. There the <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2015/02/wisconsin-right-to-work-battle-bitter.html" rel="nofollow">Senate last night passed a right-to-work bill</a> over the objections of thousands of protesting working men and women.<br /><br />So it is also fitting that it's a blues album.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-paOR7F2cms8/VO-KgV5k-PI/AAAAAAAATpE/Pm0zmwtsT_w/s1600/terraplane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-paOR7F2cms8/VO-KgV5k-PI/AAAAAAAATpE/Pm0zmwtsT_w/s1600/terraplane.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div><br />Here's how <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/premieres/steve-earle-announces-bluesy-new-album-talks-truth-in-lyrics-20141120" rel="nofollow">Rolling Stone</a> described Earle in a review of the album, Terraplane, which Earle recorded with the Dukes:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Nearly 60 years old, he's learned how to make the most of a voice that's been weathered by decades of hard partying and harder touring. He sounds raw, ragged and real, backed by a band whose time on the road hasn't worn away a looseness that seems to suit these new tunes. Over the course of 15 minutes, Earle huffs, puffs, croaks and croons, and the band winds up capturing the final take — the one where all the weird shit happens at the right place — on the fourth try.</blockquote>Click through to this link <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/premieres/steve-earle-announces-bluesy-new-album-talks-truth-in-lyrics-20141120" rel="nofollow">here</a>, scroll to the bottom and listen to "You're the Best Lover That I Ever Had." Click through to this link <a href="http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6472985/steve-earle-king-of-the-blues-terraplane-exclusive-song-premiere" rel="nofollow">here</a> and listen to "King of the Blues."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/02/steve-earle-terraplane-review.html" rel="nofollow">Paste </a>calls it 'a work of many textures':<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">On the randy, low-flying Stones-evoking “Go Go Boots Are Back,” Steve Earle scrapes the same guttural rock ‘n’ roll that made “Copperhead Road” so compelling. But as raw and guitar-stung as “Boots” is, Terraplane is a work of many textures.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Like The Mountain, Earle’s bluegrass project, this collection grounds in a single genre. Focusing on Texas and Chicago blues, Terraplane is a loose-grooved exhumation of Lightin’ Hopkins, Freddie King and Mance Lipscomb, artists Earle grew up on in San Antonio.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">From the harmonica bleat on the swaggering “Baby Baby Baby (Baby)” to the jaunty “Ain’t Nobody’s Daddy Now,” Earle plumbs the carnal underpinnings of the blues: feasting on what can be, never mourning what’s done. It is frisky, with musicians thumping and plucking in what feels almost like a jam.</blockquote>You can buy the album <a href="http://smarturl.it/terraplane-itunes" rel="nofollow">here</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Terraplane-Steve-Earle-Dukes/dp/B00PYXHY20/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1424371555&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=steve+earle+terraplane" rel="nofollow">here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div>Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-26207027528706571292015-02-26T13:29:00.004-05:002015-02-26T13:29:48.936-05:00Wisconsin right-to-work battle: A bitter pill, and gratitude<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7JeWXsQNO5s/VO9hia3ESXI/AAAAAAAATog/di32eSh40xY/s1600/wisco%2Bstatehouse%2Brally%2Brob%2Bmoss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7JeWXsQNO5s/VO9hia3ESXI/AAAAAAAATog/di32eSh40xY/s1600/wisco%2Bstatehouse%2Brally%2Brob%2Bmoss.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yesterday inside the Wisconsin Statehouse. Photo by Local 695 Business<br />Agent Rob Moss.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Despite thousands of protesters inside and outside the Statehouse in Madison yesterday, the Senate passed SB44, a right-to-work bill. The legislation was sent to the Assembly, where it is expected to pass easily next week. <a href="http://www.thedemocraticstrategist.org/strategist/2014/05/wisconsins_republican_governor.php" rel="nofollow"><strike>Job-killer</strike></a> Gov. Scott Walker said he will sign it (no surprise there).<br />The <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/25/wisconsin-right-to-work-bill_n_6752750.html" rel="nofollow">Huffington Post</a> reports:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Debate over the bill drew an estimated 2,000 protesters to the state Capitol on both Tuesday and Wednesday, reminiscent of the passionate labor demonstrations surrounding Act 10 in 2011, though vastly smaller in scope. As with that earlier legislation, which stripped most collective bargaining rights from public-sector employees, vocal opposition from the state's unions wasn't enough to stop the right-to-work bill in its tracks...&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">The fight in Madison is just the latest indication of how state Republican leaders, often controlling both the statehouse and the governor's mansion in their respective states, are managing to enact laws that weaken the clout of organized labor. If the Wisconsin measure is approved, the Badger State will become the 25th right-to-work state in the country, following two other Midwestern states, Michigan and Indiana, that passed such laws in 2012.</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7BYSZqDrh6A/VO9YQ5I9k3I/AAAAAAAAToQ/sZIEqNvto_0/s1600/tom%2Bbennett%2Bat%2Bcapitol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7BYSZqDrh6A/VO9YQ5I9k3I/AAAAAAAAToQ/sZIEqNvto_0/s1600/tom%2Bbennett%2Bat%2Bcapitol.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal">Local 200 members: Roundys employee Tom Lindert, Business Agent Wes Gable, President Tom Bennett and Roundys employee Freddy Steinbach at the Capitol yesterday protesting the damaging right-to-work legislation. Photo by Local 200 Secretary-Treasurer Tom Millonzi.&nbsp;</div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">We can't say it any better than <a href="http://teamsterslocal200.com/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Local 200</a> President Tom Bennett does here: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">It was a very disappointing defeat tonight in the Senate with the passing of SB44, now going to the Assembly, but I feel the need to express my gratitude to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-p-hoffa/wisconsin-senator-hansen_b_832377.html" rel="nofollow">Sen. Dave Hansen from Green Bay</a> and <a href="http://www.bewleyforsenate.com/" rel="nofollow">Sen. JanetBewley</a> from Ashland. I watched from the upper seating area for the last five hours of the session to hear the Teamsters mentioned in very positive ways when the Democratic senators spoke to support organized labor, but these two stood out.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">These two Democrats from Wisconsin tonight expressed their compassion and thankfulness for having a strong union bond with the Teamsters. Both gave compelling arguments why right to work is bad for the people of Wisconsin, and that was based on how the Teamsters impacted their lives. Sen. Hansen worked a Teamster job that provided him a good living. Sen. Bewley talked about her father being a Teamster that instilled great values in their family life. Senator Bewley went on to talk about the pension that provided security for her parents until their death. She also talked about how her father's Teamster job provided her college education.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">In the closing moments, prior to the final roll call vote on SB44, this Teamster was proud to know that our own brothers and sisters were proudly represented by senators that value the <a href="http://teamster.org/" rel="nofollow">International Brotherhood ofTeamsters</a>.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal">For some great photos of yesterday's happenings in Madison, click <a href="http://host.madison.com/gallery/news/local/govt-and-politics/photos-protesters-rally-at-capitol-as-senate-debates-right-to/collection_22b6b791-cfe6-52cf-a96b-8deafc639414.html#19" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</div></div></div>Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-64987136535775197982015-02-26T08:38:00.005-05:002015-02-26T10:37:56.270-05:00Join the Twitterstorm to #FightFastTrack for #TPP TODAY at 10:30 a.m. Eastern<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1aIo35Oh4y8/VO8cIxacBvI/AAAAAAAAToE/lvaN7MuLenY/s1600/twitterstorm.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1aIo35Oh4y8/VO8cIxacBvI/AAAAAAAAToE/lvaN7MuLenY/s1600/twitterstorm.jpeg" height="205" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Last week's #FightFastTrack Twitterstorm was a success! We know our online and offline actions are working because today's Senate Finance Committee hearing, which could have introduced Fast Track, was postponed. So let's do it again today at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. Below are some sample tweets, but feel free to make up your own:&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>Sample Tweets for #FightFastTrack Twitterstorm Thursday, Feb. 26, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Eastern</b><br /><br />Please RT to support our Twitterstorm to #FightFastTrack for the #TPP! Thursday, Feb. 26 at 10:30am-11:30am. pic.twitter.com/IIvomhmubd Happening NOW<br /><br />When we #FightFastTrack, we can win! Today’s Senate Finance Committee hearing on tariffs (and probably Fast Track) postponed! #TPP<br /><br />Pls call Sen. Wyden, thank him for delaying Fast Track hearing, but say he must #FightFastTrack for #TPP 202-224-5244<br /><br />3 out of 4 Oregon voters oppose #TPP. @RonWyden risks his seat if he doesn’t #FightFastTrack https://www.popularresistance.org/wyden-if-you-support-fasttrack-your-career-is-toast/<br /><br />#TPP would let foreign corporations challenge US sovereignty! #FightFastTrack for #TPP! http://www.citizen.org/investorcases pic.twitter.com/X4NB1PCctz<br /><br />If Congress passes Fast Track, the #TPP clause that undermines US sovereignty can't be removed. #FightFastTrack http://wapo.st/1DcOfqo<br /><br />Remember how those promises about NAFTA turned out to be false? Same goes with #TPP. So #FightFastTrack http://bit.ly/1AvpnwP<br /><br />Why we must #FightFastTrack: Exports Lag 20%, Trade Deficits Surge 427% under "Free Trade" deals like #TPP http://bit.ly/17AXxDY<br /><br />We can’t afford Fast Track and we can’t afford global giveaways on trade! bit.ly/1DURnev #TPP #FightFastTrack<br /><br />Dear @RepRichardNeal: Your constituents and @BerkshireEagle say you should #FightFastTrack for #TPP http://bit.ly/1MIU3jp Will you?<br /><br />All LGBT House members BUT @RepJaredPolis object to TPP with countries with anti-LGBT laws http://bzfd.it/1E9slbV #UniteBlue #FightFastTrack<br /><br />AFL-CIO President Trumka explains Fast Track: lost jobs, lower wages. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYg0pEr-3fU&amp;feature=youtu.be #FightFastTrack<br /><br />Learn how trade deals are bankrupting America (if you haven't figured it out already) : http://economyincrisis.org/content/disastrous-free-trade-is-bankrupting-america … #FightFastTrack #TPP<br /><br />NAFTA-style trade pacts like #TPP let foreign corporations sue the US government over safety laws #StopFastTrack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnC1mqyAXmw </div>Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-85003219145920110942015-02-26T08:02:00.004-05:002015-02-26T10:49:06.482-05:00Today's Teamster News 02.26.15<b>Teamsters</b><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-p-hoffa/port-driver-efforts-show_b_6746314.html" rel="nofollow">Hoffa: Port Driver Efforts Show The Long, Hard Fight For Justice</a> &nbsp;Huffington Post &nbsp; ...The port truck industry is highly fragmented, poorly organized and grossly inefficient. Deregulation has forced trucking companies to engage in cutthroat competition. Consequently, many are gearing up to fight the efforts of drivers and the Teamsters to organize and receive a fair wage. Luckily, more and more decision makers are beginning to side with workers...<br /><a href="http://teamster.org/news/2015/02/teamsters-consumers-and-community-protest-sprouts-farmers-market" rel="nofollow">Teamsters, Consumers And Community Protest Sprouts Farmers Market</a> &nbsp;teamster.org &nbsp; ...“It’s time for UNFI to stop the bullying and stop the intimidation,” said Steve Vairma, Teamsters Warehouse Division Director. “Over the years UNFI has tried to undermine workers who have asserted their rights protected by United States law, even where the Teamsters have been certified as the workers’ union through federally supervised elections. UNFI wants to destroy its workers’ fundamental rights join together to improve their working conditions.”...<br /><b>Trade</b><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/kill-the-dispute-settlement-language-in-the-trans-pacific-partnership/2015/02/25/ec7705a2-bd1e-11e4-b274-e5209a3bc9a9_story.html" rel="nofollow">The Trans-Pacific Partnership clause everyone should oppose</a> &nbsp;Washington Post &nbsp; …Agreeing to ISDS in this enormous new treaty would tilt the playing field in the United States further in favor of big multinational corporations. Worse, it would undermine U.S. sovereignty...<br /><a href="http://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-s-Trans-Pacific-Part-by-Dave-Johnson-Clinton-Bill_Corporate_Economy_Jobs-150225-419.html" rel="nofollow">Obama's Trans-Pacific Partnership Promises Echo Clinton's On NAFTA</a> &nbsp;Op-Ed News &nbsp; …NAFTA -- the North American Free Trade Agreement -- was sold with promises of jobs and prosperity on all sides of the border. What really happened was that an increased trade deficit sucked demand and jobs out of the U.S. economy; workers lost bargaining power, resulting in pay and benefit cuts; and income inequality rose as corporations pocketed the wage differential. Now the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is being sold with literally the same promises…<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dean-baker/trade-crazy-the-push-for_b_6740130.html" rel="nofollow">Trade Crazy: The Push For Fast-Track Trade Authority</a> (opinion) &nbsp;Huffington Post &nbsp; ...There are many issues in the TPP that our trading partners don't like. They don't like rules that will force them to pay more for drugs from Pfizer and Merck, nor do they like rules that will make them pay more money to Time Warner for Hollywood movies, or to Microsoft for software...<br /><b>State Battles</b><br /><a href="http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82917021/" rel="nofollow">Wisconsin Senate approves right-to-work bill </a>&nbsp;Chicago Tribune &nbsp; …The Wisconsin state Senate narrowly passed a right-to-work bill Wednesday and sent it on to the Assembly, where the Republican majority is wider...<br /><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2015/02/12750/koch-funded-allies-descend-wisconsin-push-right-work" rel="nofollow">Koch-Funded Allies Descend on Wisconsin to Push Right to Work</a> &nbsp;Center for Media and Democracy &nbsp; …It's a rare citizen who would rush to testify that the higher wages, benefits, and training that unions bring are a bad idea. Fortunately, the Wisconsin GOP had the full support of the Koch-funded "think tanks" that are a critical part of the right-wing infrastructure...<br /><a href="http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/ecf1eda934e54c4d9fdafdd285f6e347/WI--Right-to-Work-Hearing" rel="nofollow">Registrations at Wisconsin Senate hearing overwhelmingly against right-to-work bill</a> &nbsp;Associated Press &nbsp; …Opponents to right-to-work outnumbered supporters 70-to-1 at a Wisconsin state Senate public hearing that was cut short before Republicans voted to advance the bill...<br /><a href="http://rcnky.com/articles/2015/02/25/kenton-county-adopt-right-work-ordinance" rel="nofollow">Kenton County To Adopt "Right to Work" Ordinance</a> &nbsp;River City News &nbsp; ...Kenton County will pass a so-called "Right to Work" ordinance at its next meeting after hearing a first reading on Tuesday night in Covington...<br /><a href="http://cedarrepublican.com/news/missouri-house-passes-two-voter-id-measures/article_5c43e51e-bd18-11e4-8d91-73a9d452a487.html" rel="nofollow">Missouri house passes two voter ID measures</a> &nbsp;CedarRepublican.com &nbsp; …The Missouri House passed two measures Thursday, Feb. 19, which would make Missouri the 32nd state to require a government issued ID to vote...<br /><a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2015/02/24/iowa-minimum-wage-hike/23957407/" rel="nofollow">Iowa Senate Approves $8.75 Minimum Wage Bill</a> &nbsp;Des Moines Register &nbsp; ...Senate File 269 was approved 27-22 with no debate. All 26 Democrats voted for the bill. Only one Republican, Sen. Rick Bertrand of Sioux City, voted yes. Iowa's minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour. The bill would increase Iowa's minimum wage to $8 an hour on July 1, 2015, and to $8.75 an hour on July 1, 2016...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-gibson/mark-dayton-minnesota-economy_b_6737786.html" rel="nofollow">This Billionaire Governor Taxed The Rich And Increased The Minimum Wage -- Now, His State's Economy Is One Of The Best In The Country</a> &nbsp;Huffington Post &nbsp; ...The reason Gov. Dayton was able to radically transform Minnesota's economy into one of the best in the nation is simple arithmetic. Raising taxes on those who can afford to pay more will turn a deficit into a surplus. Raising the minimum wage will increase the median income. And in a state where education is a budget priority and economic growth is one of the highest in the nation, it only makes sense that more businesses would stay. It's official -- trickle-down economics is bunk. Minnesota has proven it once and for all. If you believe otherwise, you are wrong...<br /><b>War on Workers</b><br /><a href="http://www.click2houston.com/news/money/tj-maxx-to-hike-minimum-wage-for-workers/31471106" rel="nofollow">T.J. Maxx to hike minimum wage for workers</a> &nbsp;CNN Monday &nbsp;…The owner of T.J. Maxx, Marshall's and Home Goods is raising wages for its workers to at least $10 an hour by next year...<br /><a href="http://wallstreetonparade.com/2015/02/jpmorgan-still-on-2-year-probation-under-scrutiny-in-gold-fixing-probe/" rel="nofollow">JPMorgan, Still On 2-Year Probation, Under Scrutiny in Gold Fixing Probe</a> &nbsp;Wall Street on Parade &nbsp; …the U.S. Justice Department is investigating at least 10 of the biggest U.S. and foreign banks for potentially rigging the gold market and other precious metals markets. That investigation comes while ongoing investigations continue into the potential rigging by big banks of the setting of interest-rate benchmarks and foreign currency...<br /><a href="http://mathbabe.org/2015/02/25/student-debt-strikers-take-on-corinthian-college/" rel="nofollow">Student Debt Strikers Take On Corinthian College</a> &nbsp;Mathbabe &nbsp; …Good for them. Corinthian College is a predatory and fraudulent company which was in the business of gaming the federal loan system while making false promises to its students. Those students are victims of fraud and should not be the ones paying back the government money for an education they never got. Instead, Corinthian should pay back the money...<br /><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/worker-barclays-center-crushed-death-steel-beams-article-1.2128317" rel="nofollow">Iron Worker At Barclays Center Crushed To Death By Steel Beams</a> &nbsp;New York Daily News &nbsp; ...A 52-year-old iron worker constructing a green roof on the Barclays Center in Brooklyn was crushed to death by steel beams on Tuesday, police said. Hardhat Peter Zepf was helping to move the massive beams — called joists — from a truck onto a hoist when four of the parts fell on him near the Atlantic Ave. side of the arena around 1 p.m., witnesses said...<br /><b>Miscellaneous</b><br /><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-chief-janet-yellen-rate-increases-draw-nearer-as-economy-strengthens-1424790001" rel="nofollow">Janet Yellen Puts Fed On Path To Lift Rates</a> &nbsp;Wall Street Journal &nbsp; ...If the economy continues to strengthen as the Fed anticipates and officials become more confident that low inflation will rise toward their 2% goal, she said, the central bank “will at some point begin considering an increase in the target range for the federal funds rate.”...Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-23656044994976836982015-02-25T15:42:00.003-05:002015-02-25T15:42:47.471-05:00Wisconsin's working people rise up again to fight right to work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wadh2EcJ7MU/VO4r3K-ff7I/AAAAAAAATnU/1qtNCiRtRz0/s1600/Teamster%2Bretiree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wadh2EcJ7MU/VO4r3K-ff7I/AAAAAAAATnU/1qtNCiRtRz0/s1600/Teamster%2Bretiree.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's freezing outside the Wisconsin Statehouse, but this Teamster<br />retiree weathered the cold to make a point.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="tr_bq">Wisconsin workers continue the fight against right to work today as shivering protesters are packed outside the Statehouse<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;while others make their voices heard inside.&nbsp;</span><br /><br />Senators are debating a right-to-work bill on the Senate floor as union members sing songs of solidarity outside. Sen. Chris Larson, a Milwaukee Democrat, told the Republican majority that workers who waited nine hours yesterday to testify before a Senate committee were denied the opportunity.<br /><br />Former Teamster and Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, wonders why they're in such a hurry to pass a bill today that was only introduced on Friday.&nbsp; <br /><br />Brother Rob Moss, Business Agent for Teamsters Local 695 in LaCrosse, sent us the photo below:&nbsp;</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OKfGPG_Zfgw/VO4rY5Xx1uI/AAAAAAAATnM/qefHIsuft_k/s1600/wisco%2Bstatehouse%2Brally%2Brob%2Bmoss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OKfGPG_Zfgw/VO4rY5Xx1uI/AAAAAAAATnM/qefHIsuft_k/s1600/wisco%2Bstatehouse%2Brally%2Brob%2Bmoss.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A strong union presence inside the Statehouse.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Brother Tom Bennett, President of Teamsters Local 200 in Milwaukee, is also keeping us posted. He sent us this photo featuring the flag of the Teamsters<a href="http://www.ble-t.org/" rel="nofollow"> Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen</a>. &nbsp;</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AO-niChaUbQ/VO4mHlOod9I/AAAAAAAATm8/kljTXdf9eyI/s1600/wisco%2Bstatehouse%2Brally%2BBLET%2Bflag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AO-niChaUbQ/VO4mHlOod9I/AAAAAAAATm8/kljTXdf9eyI/s1600/wisco%2Bstatehouse%2Brally%2BBLET%2Bflag.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the yellow Teamsters BLET flag.</td></tr></tbody></table>"These halls have echoed democracy for decades, now these halls are silenced with the dollars of Republican donors," Bennett said.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-viGypUda-Z4/VO4tR_exZJI/AAAAAAAATng/CVkN7TuQMEQ/s1600/Tom%2BBennett%2Band%2Bagents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-viGypUda-Z4/VO4tR_exZJI/AAAAAAAATng/CVkN7TuQMEQ/s1600/Tom%2BBennett%2Band%2Bagents.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Here's Local 200 Business Agent Randy Monroe, Rep. Fred Kessler (D-Milwaukee), <br />President Tom Bennett and Agent Wes Gable at the Statehouse rally today.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Earlier, Brother Bennett shared with us his experience testifying against the right-to-work bill, SB44.<br /><blockquote>After long hours of waiting to testify against SB44, I got to go on about 5:30 on Tuesday night. &nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>Democratic senators <a href="http://legis.wisconsin.gov/senate/larson/Pages/default.aspx" rel="nofollow">Chris Larson</a>&nbsp;and <a href="http://legis.wisconsin.gov/senate/wirch/Pages/default.aspx" rel="nofollow">Bob Wirch</a> did an outstanding job today related to being on task to dispel the misgivings of right-to-work supporters such as The Heritage Foundation, <a href="http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed" rel="nofollow">ALEC</a>and Wisconsin's own <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_Manufacturers_%26_Commerce" rel="nofollow">Wisconsin Manufacturers &amp; Commerce</a>. Both Larson and Wirch are senators within Teamsters Local 200 jurisdiction.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>As I testified, I made reference to a comment by Republican Senator Scott Fitzgerald, who introduced SB44. I testified with the following statement: "This morning I heard Senator Fitzgerald use the world "simple." Last night I went to bed a simple man and I woke up a simple man. I find nothing simple about this bill, and my membership takes this act as no simple measure. It is strictly an attack on organized labor."</blockquote><br /><br />Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-19750488422421103262015-02-25T10:26:00.002-05:002015-02-25T17:57:33.254-05:00Dispatch from West Virginia: Wednesday, Feb. 25 (UPDATE)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0lNtcKyeGc4/VO3kb8usmZI/AAAAAAAATl8/S387KaJ1z4I/s1600/Dave%2BBlett%2Bsigning%2Bup.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0lNtcKyeGc4/VO3kb8usmZI/AAAAAAAATl8/S387KaJ1z4I/s1600/Dave%2BBlett%2Bsigning%2Bup.png" height="320" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Operating engineer<br />Dave Blett signs up to testify.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;">Our Teamster on the Ground reports on today's developments in the fight against right to work in West Virginia:</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">It's 6:30 a.m. and workers have gathered at <a href="http://www.iuoe132.org/" rel="nofollow">IUOE Local 132</a> to shuttle to the Statehouse to voice their opposition to SB 361, the bill to <a href="http://wvpublic.org/post/thousands-rally-capitol-steps-against-prevailing-wage-bill" rel="nofollow">scale back the prevailing wage</a>. It's set to be discussed in a committee hearing this morning. I was invited by IUOE member and former <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Walker_(West_Virginia_politician)" rel="nofollow">Delegate David Walker</a>, who lost his seat in the midterm election. He's been on the front lines every day this session and helped coordinate this morning's commute.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">In addition to the operating engineers, iron workers came out this morning to hitch a ride. They told me before hopping on the shuttle that they "wouldn't dare miss this" and that "this is what solidarity is all about."</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Right-to-work was originally on the agenda for today, but it was taken off at the last minute yesterday evening. More harmful bills are being introduced in these final days of the session, but the troops have been assembled and are ready to fight back.&nbsp;</blockquote>At 9:07 a.m., our Teamster on the Ground arrived at the West Virginia Statehouse:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Just arrived to a packed house. Workers out the door, lining the halls and making their presence known. &nbsp;&nbsp;</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9rWg-LiaOc/VO3mByu-Z6I/AAAAAAAATmI/W2Iyh_9iRu0/s1600/Packed%2BWVA%2Bcommittee%2Broom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s9rWg-LiaOc/VO3mByu-Z6I/AAAAAAAATmI/W2Iyh_9iRu0/s1600/Packed%2BWVA%2Bcommittee%2Broom.jpg" height="211" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Workers waiting to testify on a prevailing wage bill.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote class="tr_bq">The committee room was so packed an overflow crowd had to listen in another room.&nbsp;</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r6UfkWpPKEs/VO3pRheQDbI/AAAAAAAATmU/WsXCfyPHx2E/s1600/seriously%2Bpacked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r6UfkWpPKEs/VO3pRheQDbI/AAAAAAAATmU/WsXCfyPHx2E/s1600/seriously%2Bpacked.jpg" height="232" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside of the East Wing Committee Room.</td></tr></tbody></table>UPDATE: At 5 p.m., our Teamster on the Ground filed this report:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Sadly, the prevailing wage bill we have fought so hard to defeat has passed out of the House Government Organization Committee by a vote of 17-8. The House of Delegates will now vote on the anti-worker measure to be enacted, but we are continuing to fight. Workers are not giving up their efforts to stop the bill from moving forward. &nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Although we were unable to stop prevailing wage from clearing committee, the standing-room-only meeting this morning should remind all House delegates that workers will not back down. The bill will not only cut wages, it will also cost jobs. Workers say they will not be deterred.<br /><br />“You know it! I know it! Everybody in this House knows that this is going to cut wages,” Delegate Mike Caputo, D-Marion, said as he looked to the union laborers who had packed the meeting room. “I've heard from as many companies as I have had workers saying this is going to put them out of business.”&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">I left the Statehouse to attend a conference call at the <a href="http://wvaflcio.org/" rel="nofollow">West Virginia AFL-CIO</a>&nbsp;office. President Kenny Perdue talked at length about right-to-work, which we are still hopeful will die in committee. Republicans did give us a momentary scare yesterday, Perdue said on the call. They sought to punish Democrats killing a charter school bill in committee on Monday by adding right-to-work to today's agenda late yesterday afternoon.</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GlCw3f1KjFA/VO5R6rxHdxI/AAAAAAAATnw/mPNWLAL93ZA/s1600/perdue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GlCw3f1KjFA/VO5R6rxHdxI/AAAAAAAATnw/mPNWLAL93ZA/s1600/perdue.jpg" height="231" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">AFL-CIO Senior&nbsp;Field Staff Rod&nbsp;Muchnok, with&nbsp;President Kenny Perdue and <br />Political Director Sherry Breeden of the West Virginia AFL-CIO.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote class="tr_bq">Although the threat turned out to be a bluff, it was significant enough to remind everyone just how real the risk is in West Virginia. All it takes is a well-funded, coordinated push by the anti-union opposition to put us on the defensive again.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">So we are remaining vigilant, producing a radio spot just in case the opposition decides to launch an ad blitz. We are also moving forward on a Statehouse rally March 7th -- aiming for a minimum crowd of 5,000-8,500. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall will be speaking, and the famous Teamster tractor-trailer will make an appearance. We encourage all supporters in the area to attend.&nbsp;</blockquote><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-66243113345199426122015-02-25T07:37:00.002-05:002015-02-25T07:37:41.532-05:00Today's Teamster News 02.25.15<b>Teamsters</b><br /><a href="http://teamster.org/news/2015/02/hoffa-presidential-veto-keystone-hurts-middle-class-americans" rel="nofollow">Hoffa: Presidential Veto of Keystone Hurts Middle Class Americans</a> &nbsp;teamster.org &nbsp; ...Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa expressed his disappointment in President Obama’s decision today to veto the Keystone Pipeline Act despite bipartisan support in both the House of Representatives and Senate...<br /><a href="http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/education/teamsters-seen-upping-effort-be-clark-county-schools-union" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Seen As Upping Effort To Be Clark County Schools Union</a> &nbsp;Las Vegas Review Journal &nbsp; ...A three-member Nevada Local Government Employee-Management Relations Board unanimously agreed to change its 13-year-old policy that requires a supermajority vote for one union to oust another. That decision came in the wake of the Teamsters overwhelming victory in a vote to determine whether workers wanted the Teamsters or ESEA to represent them...<br /><a href="http://lbpost.com/business/trade-transportation/2000005531-teamsters-port-division-responds-to-tentative-contract-agreement-between-the-pma-and-ilwu" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Port Division Responds To Tentative Contract Agreement Between The PMA And ILWU</a> &nbsp;Long Beach Post &nbsp; ...“The longshoreman have fought for more than 100 years for a seat at the economic table; it is now the truckers turn,” the statement continued. “The Teamsters will continue to support the drivers’ fight for a seat at the economic table until justice is served.”...<br /><a href="http://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=5685" rel="nofollow">BLET Members Ratify New Contract With Long Island Rail Road</a> &nbsp;BLET &nbsp; ...On February 22, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) by a 71 percent majority...<br /><b>Trade</b><br /><a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/lawmakers-grapple-with-fast-track-trade-bill-2015-02-25" rel="nofollow">Lawmakers grapple with ‘fast track’ trade bill</a> &nbsp;Marketwatch &nbsp; …Lawmakers from both parties are trying to strike a difficult balance as they wrangle over the final intricacies of a bill that would expedite consideration of trade deals...<br /><a href="http://www.globalresearch.ca/devastating-impacts-of-secretly-negotiated-ttip-trade-deal-between-eu-and-us-obama-blocks-making-its-terms-public/5432974" rel="nofollow">Devastating Impacts Of “Secretly Negotiated” TTIP Trade-Deal Between EU And US, Obama Blocks Making Its Terms Public</a> &nbsp;Centre for Research on Globalization &nbsp; ...Basically: U.S. President Barack Obama is demanding that European nations weaken their regulations, but has been encountering stiff resistance from some, which has dragged out negotiations...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-cohen/trans-pacific-partnership-fast-track_b_6720848.html" rel="nofollow">Fighting Fast Track: Is It Really China Or Us?</a> (opinion) &nbsp;Huffington Post &nbsp; ...Those deals and others like them have led to the U.S. accumulating more than $10 trillion in trade deficits over the past 20 years, far more than the rest of the world combined. Those deals have emptied small and large cities from Trenton to St. Louis of millions of jobs that would have provided a decent income to urban America. Instead our cities are burned out and in the case of Detroit and others, bankrupt...<br /><a href="http://www.tax-news.com/news/WTO_Rules_Against_China_In_Steel_AntiDumping_Dispute____67331.html" rel="nofollow">WTO Rules Against China In Steel Anti-Dumping Dispute</a> &nbsp;Tax News &nbsp; ...The panel found that the Chinese measures did not fully respect the prescribed WTO methods to calculate dumping margins. It also said that China failed to demonstrate that its domestic industry had been adversely affected by imports of the product in question, and said that Chinese anti-dumping procedure came short of the WTO requirements in terms of due process and transparency...<br /><b>State Battles</b><br /><a href="http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/about-rally-against-right-to-work-in-wisconsin/article_d9596b44-dc73-583c-87b3-787ae0e3f831.html" rel="nofollow">About 2,000 rally against right-to-work in Wisconsin</a> &nbsp;Associated Press &nbsp; …About 2,000 construction workers, electricians, carpenters and other union members rallied at the Wisconsin state Capitol on Tuesday, pushing back against a fast-tracked right-to-work bill backed by Republicans and Gov. Scott Walker...<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2015/02/24/wisconsin-republicans-worry-about-protest-redux-as-right-to-work-debate-begins/" rel="nofollow">Wisconsin Republicans worry about protest redux as right-to-work debate begins</a> &nbsp;Washington Post &nbsp; ...In 2011, large protests against bills undercutting the political power of public employee unions rocked the Wisconsin Capitol in Madison, sparking recall elections that nearly toppled Gov. Scott Walker (R). Four years later, Republicans want to avoid a repeat as they consider another measure that would curb union power...<br /><a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/right-to-work-offers-little-for-wisconsins-economy-b99450181z1-293708861.html" rel="nofollow">Right-to-work offers little for Wisconsin's economy</a> &nbsp;Milwaukee Journal Sentinel &nbsp; ...Wisconsin may soon become the 25th right-to-work state. Republicans in the state Senate have the votes — and there is little Democrats can do to stop the train. It's left the station...<br /><a href="http://www.salon.com/2015/02/24/scott_walkers_economic_mess_how_worker_wages_were_gutted_in_wisconsin/" rel="nofollow">Scott Walker’s Economic Mess: How Worker Wages Were Gutted In Wisconsin</a> &nbsp;Salon.com &nbsp; ...I was in Wisconsin for the labor uprising of 2011. Faced with the threat from newly elected Gov. Scott Walker of eviscerated collective bargaining protections, unions and their allies brought hundreds of thousands of workers into the streets in protest. They fought like their lives depended on it. Four years later, we now know that they did...<br /><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/nationalpolitics/ci_27588479/police-arrive-at-wisconsin-capitol-right-work-debate" rel="nofollow">Right-To-Work Debate Begins In Wisconsin With Hearing</a> &nbsp;Denver Post &nbsp; ...Opponents of a Republican push to turn Wisconsin into a right-to-work state began to converge on the Capitol on Tuesday for a rally and to testify against the fast-tracked measure...<br /><a href="http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/oldham/2015/02/23/oldham-considers-right-work-ordinance/23899173/" rel="nofollow">Oldham considers 'right-to-work' ordinance</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;The Courier-Journal &nbsp; ...Some Oldham officials are hoping a proposed 'right-to-work' ordinance — which would prohibit mandatory union involvement as a condition of employment — could be the solution to a business park that, a decade after its $20 million purchase, "hasn't had the success the people who started it had initially hoped for," said Judge-Executive David Voegele...<br /><a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20150223_ap_7602580f15a7400b8da20f64cb26a772.html" rel="nofollow">Liquor privatization bill clears Pennsylvania House panel</a> &nbsp;Associated Press &nbsp; ...A proposal to sell off most of Pennsylvania's state-owned liquor system and its wholesale distribution network moved ahead with a vote in the Legislature on Monday, although its prospects to become law remain uncertain...<br /><a href="http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/02/paycheck_protection_issue_retu.html" rel="nofollow">'Paycheck protection' union-dues issue returns to the spotlight in Pa. Senate</a> &nbsp;Penn Live &nbsp; ...The Senate State Government Committee on Monday voted 6-5 along mostly partisan lines to approve a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban the collection of union membership dues and political contributions from paychecks of state government and school district employees...<br /><a href="http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/two-different-missouri-senate-proposals-require-photo-ids-voting" rel="nofollow">Two different Missouri Senate proposals to require photo IDs for voting</a> &nbsp;St. Louis Public Radio &nbsp; ...The battle by Republican lawmakers to restore photo identification requirements in Missouri has moved over to the Senate, where two rather different approaches are being considered...<br /><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2015/02/minimum_wage_to_rise_in_alaska.html" rel="nofollow">Minimum Wage To Rise In Alaska To $8.75 An Hour</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;The Oregonian &nbsp; ...Voters in November overwhelmingly approved raising the minimum wage from $7.75 per hour to $8.75 per hour, effective Jan. 1. Because the state constitution calls for ballot measures to take effect 90 days after election results are certified, the raise doesn't take effect until Tuesday...<br /><b>War on Workers</b><br /><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-metrolink-derailment-latest-series-high-profile-crashes-n311846" rel="nofollow">California Metrolink Derailment Is Latest in Series of High-Profile Crashes</a> &nbsp;NBC News &nbsp; ...A commuter train derailment outside Los Angeles that sent 28 people to the hospital and left a tractor-trailer in flames was the latest in a series of high-profile accidents on the nation's rails...<br /><a href="http://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Recent-Bomb-Trains-Expose-Regulatory-Failures.html" rel="nofollow">Recent “Bomb Trains” Expose Regulatory Failures</a> &nbsp;Oil Price &nbsp; ...even though the CPC-1232 cars have demonstrated that they are inadequately safe, much of the crude hitting the nation’s railways are not even traveling to that standard. Railcar manufacturers do not have the capability to ramp up production of the CPC-1232s fast enough, with a backlog of at least 50,000 cars. Meanwhile, there are still around 171,000 DOT-111s still in operation...<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/22/us-usa-fairpoint-strike-idUSKBN0LQ0VU20150222" rel="nofollow">Telecom workers ratify agreement to end strike in New England</a> &nbsp;Reuters &nbsp; ... Union members ratified an agreement on Sunday that ends a four-month-long strike by some 1,800 workers at FairPoint Communications, a major land-line telecommunications provider in northern New England, union officials announced...<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/23/us-refineries-labor-strike-idUSKBN0LP06420150223" rel="nofollow">U.S. refinery strike affects one-fifth of national capacity</a> &nbsp;Reuters &nbsp; ...The largest U.S. refinery strike in 35 years entered its fourth week on Sunday as workers at 12 refineries accounting for one-fifth of national production capacity were walking picket lines...<br /><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/big-banks-face-scrutiny-over-pricing-of-metals-1424744801" rel="nofollow">Big Banks Face Scrutiny Over Pricing Of Metals</a> &nbsp;Wall Street Journal &nbsp; ...U.S. officials are investigating at least 10 major banks for possible rigging of precious-metals markets, even though European regulators dropped a similar probe after finding no evidence of wrongdoing, according to people close to the inquiries...Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-63361001576651629722015-02-24T16:48:00.000-05:002015-02-25T12:03:54.022-05:00Dispatch From West Virginia: Monday, Feb. 23 <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;">Our Teamster on the Ground reports on Monday developments in the fight against right to work in West Virginia:</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">I was fortunate to have my video camera with me in the West Virginia Statehouse cafeteria when I ran into Fuzz Larue, <a href="http://actwv.org/contactus.mx" rel="nofollow">Affiliated Construction Trades</a> representative for the West Virginia Building Trades. He suggested I interview a table of sheet metal workers. They told me how their team had been fighting to stop anti-worker legislation with the help of working members, many of whom attended last Thursday’s public hearing on the prevailing wage. &nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">“Right to work is nothing but attack on workers and it will not create a single job,” Scott Mazzulli, business representative for Sheet Metal Workers Local 33, told me. “People have the right to join a union. They have a right to grievance procedure.”</blockquote><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SV9KLyzSlL4/VOzrRnMUXDI/AAAAAAAATlU/nQzmBFVQuDA/s1600/wva%2Bsheetmetal%2Breps.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SV9KLyzSlL4/VOzrRnMUXDI/AAAAAAAATlU/nQzmBFVQuDA/s1600/wva%2Bsheetmetal%2Breps.png" height="222" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheet Metal Union members at the West Virginia Statehouse.</td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote class="tr_bq">Outside the Statehouse I stopped and talked with Jack Lane, a mine worker of UMWA Local 1713 in Herndon, W. Va., who came to fight the <a href="http://wvmetronews.com/2015/02/23/house-committee-gets-started-on-coal-safety-bill/" rel="nofollow">Coal Jobs Safety Act</a>. It's a bill, currently in committee, that would roll back mine safety standards. &nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">“If these rules are passed we will go backwards and take a step back when it comes to safety. And that’s why I’m here today, to tell that to the legislators,” Lane said to me before going inside to attend the committee meeting. It’s activism like this that has made the fight down here so encouraging.&nbsp;</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--OgBBub-jes/VOzsGFIOIII/AAAAAAAATlg/qR3K8Ucd1tA/s1600/Jack%2BLane.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--OgBBub-jes/VOzsGFIOIII/AAAAAAAATlg/qR3K8Ucd1tA/s1600/Jack%2BLane.png" height="237" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack Lane, who also attended last Monday's rally.</td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote class="tr_bq">Our brothers and sisters have worked together with West Virginia teachers to defeat a bill that would allow county school boards to form privatized charter schools in West Virginia.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Democrats killed the bill. I was working in the West Virginia AFL-CIO office when the tweet below came across:&nbsp;</blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NoFk1A_IPWE/VOzuuZAwbnI/AAAAAAAATls/fk48YAita80/s1600/charter%2Bschool%2Btweet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NoFk1A_IPWE/VOzuuZAwbnI/AAAAAAAATls/fk48YAita80/s1600/charter%2Bschool%2Btweet.png" height="105" width="400" /></a></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">A cheer went up from every single person in the AFL-CIO office.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Some worry what the response will be to the bill's defeat, but for now things are joyous here.&nbsp;</blockquote><br />Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-89958417950861243342015-02-24T12:02:00.002-05:002015-02-25T11:46:47.675-05:00Teamsters fight back against right to work in Wisconsin<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c16h_v70cro/VOykTqLs5WI/AAAAAAAATk0/qPwgLIW4AzY/s1600/labor%2Bin%2Bthe%2BWI%2Bcapitol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c16h_v70cro/VOykTqLs5WI/AAAAAAAATk0/qPwgLIW4AzY/s1600/labor%2Bin%2Bthe%2BWI%2Bcapitol.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Organized labor in the Wisconsin Capitol.</td></tr></tbody></table>Wisconsin Teamsters took to the right-to-work battlefield this morning, arriving in the Capitol along with hundreds of riled-up union members. The Wisconsin state Senate is ramming through a right-to-work bill starting this morning with a committee hearing on the bill.<br /><br />Gov. Scott Walker, the Koch brothers' favorite toady, said he will sign the bill when it arrives on his desk.<br /><br />Brother Tom Bennett, President of <a href="http://teamsterslocal200.com/?zone=/unionactive/view_page.cfm&amp;page=Executive20Board" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Local 200</a>&nbsp;in Milwaukee, tells us the officers and representatives of organized labor who have building trades members met at the Capitol at 7 am and then attended the hearing. Local 200 members are there.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UHKgwcyvHD8/VOyhfni9BoI/AAAAAAAATko/e7lSLrlTmYU/s1600/LU%2B344%2BST%2BPat%2BTappa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UHKgwcyvHD8/VOyhfni9BoI/AAAAAAAATko/e7lSLrlTmYU/s1600/LU%2B344%2BST%2BPat%2BTappa.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brother Pat Tappa in Milwaukee.</td></tr></tbody></table>Last night, Brother Pat Tappa, Secretary-Treasurer of <a href="http://www.local344.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Local 344</a>, inspired the shivering crowd at an outdoor "Defeat Right to Work" rally in Milwaukee. <br /><br />Wisconsin Teamsters have<a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2014/12/wisconsin-teamsters-laying-groundwork.html" rel="nofollow"> prepared since last year</a> for this fight. If you live in Wisconsin or know someone who does, help our brothers and sisters out by calling your state senator at 1-844-334-3438 and tell them to vote no on this anti-worker bill.<br /><br />Today, the NFL Players Association announced its opposition to right to work. <a href="http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/writers/todd-milewski/nfl-players-union-opposes-wisconsin-right-to-work-bill/article_4ccb4b23-daf8-5a37-976a-1e92b9bea2ab.html" rel="nofollow">The Cap Times</a> quoted NFLPA De Smith:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Our guys work for a living. And when it comes to the issues of working men and women in America, our issues really aren't so divergent from theirs. Our guys want a safe workplace. They want a fair wage. They want a fair pension. And they want to know that they can address all of those issues as a collective team rather than being subjected to an employer who has a significant, if not tremendous, amount of bargaining leverage over an individual.</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lr29P_UxqjI/VOyqGl0T1eI/AAAAAAAATlE/q5tJdKTg7ME/s1600/wi%2Bright%2Bto%2Bwork%2Bhearing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lr29P_UxqjI/VOyqGl0T1eI/AAAAAAAATlE/q5tJdKTg7ME/s1600/wi%2Bright%2Bto%2Bwork%2Bhearing.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packed hearing room.</td></tr></tbody></table>During the committee hearing this morning, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_L._Fitzgerald" rel="nofollow">Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald</a> sneered that low wage workers should drop their union to save pennies, ignoring the fact that unions raise wages by dollars. And as @cathysherwin, one of our all-time favorite tweeters, pointed out<br /><div class="stream-item-header" style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #292f33; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><small class="time" style="color: #8899a6; font-size: 13px;"><a class="tweet-timestamp js-permalink js-nav js-tooltip" href="https://twitter.com/cathysherwin/status/570258617292623873" style="background: transparent; color: #8899a6; text-decoration: none;" title="11:27 AM - 24 Feb 2015"><span class="u-hiddenVisually" data-aria-label-part="last" style="border: 0px !important; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px) !important; height: 1px !important; overflow: hidden !important; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; width: 1px !important;">30 minutes ago</span></a></small></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenFitzgerald">@SenFitzgerald</a> keeps saying "freedom" when he runs out of facts. That's cause it can be explained in 3 letters: L-I-E <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wipolitics?src=hash">#wipolitics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wiunion?src=hash">#wiunion</a></blockquote>Economist Gordon Lafer testified that right-to-work laws lower wages -- which is the whole idea behind them.<br /><br />Marquette University economist Abdur Chowdhury told the Senate committee:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">If wages are lower, we expect to see an outflow of workforce. The skilled workers tend to leave the state and will go to another place where the wages are higher.&nbsp;</blockquote>Good places to follow what's going on in Wisconsin include the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wisaflcio/photos_stream?ref=page_internal" rel="nofollow">Wisconsin AFL-CIO Facebook page</a>&nbsp;and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/defeatrighttowork">Defeat "Right to Work" Facebook page</a>. Follow @cathysherwin, @onewisconsinnow, @wisaflcio, @WeRWisconsin, @WEAC and the hashtag #RightToWorkIsWrong. Or you can make a contribution <a href="https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/fightback-wi?refcode=fb150220&amp;amount=25.00" rel="nofollow">here</a>.<br /><br />Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-20030566824461865432015-02-24T06:50:00.001-05:002015-02-24T06:50:50.059-05:00Today's Teamster News 02.24.15<b>Teamsters</b><br /><a href="http://teamster.org/news/2015/02/teamsters-protest-labatt-beer-buffalo-pond-hockey-tournament" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Protest Labatt Beer At Buffalo Pond Hockey Tournament</a>&nbsp; teamster.org &nbsp; ...At the Labatt Blue Pond Hockey tournament this weekend, Teamster members distributed information to fans about Heidelberg Distributing’s abusive behavior towards its drivers and warehouse workers. Heidelberg distributes Labatt Beer products in Ohio...<br /><a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2015/02/22/unionized-uc-berkeley-workers-rally-new-pay-calculations/" rel="nofollow">Unionized UC Berkeley Workers Rally Against New Pay Calculations</a> &nbsp;Daily Californian &nbsp; ...Teamsters Local 2010 said in a press release that the goals of this rally were not only to educate the public on the employees’ grievances with the UC system but also to highlight the pay that UC employees receive.&nbsp;According to a recent Economic Policy Institute study cited in the press release, 80 percent of the union’s members are not paid enough to live in the cities in which their campuses reside...<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/20/usfoods-sysco-idUSL1N0VU1YF20150220" rel="nofollow">Sysco Not In Talks To Settle U.S. Lawsuit To Stop Merger</a> &nbsp;Reuters &nbsp; ...Sysco Corp is not holding settlement talks with the U.S. government to resolve a lawsuit aimed at stopping a $3.5 billion merger of the food distributor and its largest rival, a lawyer for Sysco said on Friday...<br /><b>Trade</b><br /><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/feb/23/medicines-forecast-to-cost-taxpayers-millions-more-in-secret-tpp-trade-deal" rel="nofollow">Medicines forecast to cost taxpayers millions more in secret TPP trade deal</a> &nbsp;Guardian &nbsp; ...Medicines will cost Australian taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars more each year if measures in a leaked draft of the secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement are implemented, a new report says...<br /><a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/02/24/us-japan-economy-amari-idUKKBN0LS00T20150224" rel="nofollow">Japan's Amari: Japan-U.S. TPP talks are behind schedule</a> &nbsp;Reuters &nbsp; …Chief negotiators for the TPP deal will meet in Hawaii for talks in the second week of March, the U.S. trade office said on Friday, a move which could delay a final agreement on the pact…<br /><a href="http://www.agri-pulse.com/Froman-asks-county-officials-to-back-Obama-trade-policies-02232015.asp" rel="nofollow">Froman asks county officials to back Obama trade policies</a> &nbsp;AgriPulse &nbsp; ...U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman today called on county government officials from across the country to support President Obama's request for trade promotion authority and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal...<br /><b>State Battles</b><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-bottari/scott-walker-pushes-alec_b_6731564.html" rel="nofollow">Scott Walker Pushes ALEC 'Right to Work' Bill, Divide and Conquer Comes Full Circle</a> &nbsp;Huffington Post &nbsp; ...Wisconsin GOP leaders announced they would have an "extraordinary session" to ram through union-busting "right to work" legislation. CMD/PRwatch quickly noted that the bill is taken almost word-for-word from the Koch corporate bill mill known as the American Legislative Exchange Council known as "ALEC."...<br /><a href="http://augustafreepress.com/bell-right-to-work-amendment-passes-senate/" rel="nofollow">Bell Right-To-Work Amendment Passes Senate</a> &nbsp;Augusta Free Press &nbsp; ...Current law provides that a citizen cannot be denied the employment or continuation of employment for failing to join a union or other labor organization. This amendment, sponsored by Delegate Dickie Bell, R-Staunton, would make Virginia’s Right to Work law more permanent by adding it to the constitution...<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-wisconsin-walkers-anti-union-law-has-crippled-labor-movement/2015/02/22/1eb3ef82-b6f1-11e4-aa05-1ce812b3fdd2_story.html" rel="nofollow">Walker’s Anti-Union Law Has Labor Reeling In Wisconsin</a> &nbsp;Washington Post &nbsp; ...Walker had vowed that union power would shrink, workers would be judged on their merits, and local governments would save money. Unions had warned that workers would lose benefits and be forced to take on second jobs or find new careers. Many of those changes came to pass, but the once-thriving ­public-sector unions were not just shrunken — they were crippled...<br /><a href="http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/02/house_set_to_vote_on_liquor_pr.html" rel="nofollow">House set to vote on liquor privatization bill despite concerns that members may not know what's in it </a>&nbsp;PennLive &nbsp; ...In its first significant piece of business in the 2015-16 legislative session, the state House of Representatives is poised to vote this week on a bill that would get the state out of the liquor business. But some wonder how many legislators casting votes really know what the bill would do...<br /><a href="http://in.aflcio.org/statefed/index.cfm?action=article&amp;articleID=4AB0B25E-16DE-4B29-84E3-28D9A3A3DE5C" rel="nofollow">Indiana State AFL-CIO President Reacts to House Approval of Common Construction Wage Repeal </a>&nbsp;Indiana State AFL-CIO &nbsp; ..."With today’s vote in the House of Representatives, the Republican supermajority has attacked the wages of working Hoosiers, a successful private sector business model and the autonomy of local governments...."<br /><b>War on Workers</b><br /><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2015/02/oil_ethanol_trains_will_derail.html" rel="nofollow">Oil, Ethanol Trains Will Derail 10 Times A Year For 2 Decades, Federal Government Estimates</a> &nbsp;The Oregonian &nbsp; ...The federal government predicts trains hauling crude oil or ethanol will derail an average of 10 times a year during the next two decades, causing more than $4 billion in damage and possibly killing hundreds of people if an accident happens in a densely populated part of the U.S...<br /><a href="http://www.telegram.com/article/20150222/NEWS/302229941/1052" rel="nofollow">In service sector, no rest for the working </a>&nbsp;New York Times &nbsp; ...Employees are literally losing sleep as restaurants, retailers and many other businesses shrink the intervals between shifts and rely on smaller, leaner staffs to shave costs. These scheduling practices can take a toll on employees who have to squeeze commuting, family duties and sleep into fewer hours between shifts. The growing practice of the same workers closing the doors at night and returning to open them in the morning even has its own name: "clopening."...<br /><a href="http://www.komonews.com/news/national/Except-for-Oakland-West-Coast-seaports-in-full-operation--293543321.html" rel="nofollow">Seattle, Tacoma, other ports busy again after tentative labor deal </a>&nbsp;Associated Press &nbsp; ...Nearly all West Coast seaports began the work week with crews hustling to load and unload cargo ships that were held up amid a months-long dispute over a new contract for dockworkers...<br /><a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/102442205" rel="nofollow">Look who's living on the financial edge</a> &nbsp;CNBC &nbsp; …24 percent of Americans have more credit card debt than emergency savings, and 13 percent are not much better off—they don't have credit card debt but they don't have emergency savings either. Put another way, more than a third of Americans are living at risk of a financial crisis…<br /><a href="http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/28182252/worker-killed-in-accident-at-alcoa-plant" rel="nofollow">Worker killed in accident at Alcoa plant </a>&nbsp;Associated Press &nbsp; … An Alcoa plant employee was killed about 6:30 p.m. Monday in what's being termed an "accident" at the Tennessee Operations North Plant, according to an Alcoa spokeswoman...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/why-were-all-becoming-independent-contractors_b_6731760.html" rel="nofollow">Why We're All Becoming Independent Contractors</a> (opinion) &nbsp;Huffington Post &nbsp; ...The rise of "independent contractors" is the most significant legal trend in the American workforce -- contributing directly to low pay, irregular hours, and job insecurity...<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/23/opinion/paul-krugman-knowledge-isnt-power.html?ref=todayspaper" rel="nofollow">Knowledge Isn’t Power</a> (opinion) &nbsp;New York Times &nbsp; ...We could levy higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, and invest the proceeds in programs that help working families. We could raise the minimum wage and make it easier for workers to organize. It’s not hard to imagine a truly serious effort to make America less unequal...<br /><a href="http://www.yakimaherald.com/photosandvideos/newsphotos/latestnewsphotos/2885127-8/drones-are-the-new-buzz-in-ag-business" rel="nofollow">Drones Are The New Buzz In Ag Business</a> &nbsp;Yakima Herald Republic &nbsp; ...Farmers already are using drones in the area and throughout the nation, albeit by stretching the limits of rapidly changing regulations. They purchase the planes online. Some allow users to control them with a smartphone application, turning their screen into a virtual cockpit...<br /><b>Miscellaneous</b><br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/02/23/crackdown-drones-technology-faa-nyc-councilman/23696377/" rel="nofollow">Crackdown On Drones Goes Local</a> &nbsp;USA Today &nbsp; ...Since 2012, 15 states have enacted laws restricting drones in some way, according to data from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), which tracks state laws. And if New York City Council Member Dan Garodnick gets his way, drones will be banned in the Big Apple, except for police with a warrant, as soon as this year...Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-13561944932347453272015-02-23T16:17:00.001-05:002015-02-23T16:36:05.484-05:00Anti-Fast Track protests enter 2nd weekAnti-TPP activists are continuing to rally across the country as members of Congress prepare to return to Washington. They may well arrive for an epic battle over Fast Track legislation.<br /><br />Fast Track would let Congress rubber stamp the secretly negotiated <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/03/tpp-power-grab-by-corporations-and-1.html" rel="nofollow">TPP</a>. Fast Track is also the only way the deal will ever get passed. If Congress had to actually debate the TPP, people would find out what's in it and start reaching for their pitchforks.&nbsp;,br /&gt; <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iWOy5-9X2fQ/VOtz_nToB5I/AAAAAAAATj0/vCp0MXcFZWM/s1600/TPP%2BSam%2BFarr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iWOy5-9X2fQ/VOtz_nToB5I/AAAAAAAATj0/vCp0MXcFZWM/s1600/TPP%2BSam%2BFarr.jpg" height="248" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Protesters demand Rep. Sam Farr vote no on Fast Track in Santa Cruz, Calif.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;">The TPP, or&nbsp;</span><a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/03/tpp-power-grab-by-corporations-and-1.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #336699; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;">Trans-Pacific Partnership</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;">, would send U.S. jobs overseas, lower wages, raise the cost of medicine and imperil food safety and the environment. TPP supporters want to pass Fast Track so Congress can send the secretly negotiated deal to the president before the public wakes up and realizes what happened.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;">A Fast Track bill has not been introduced yet.&nbsp;</span></span>A Thursday Senate hearing about trade may provide an opportunity for TPP supporters to file a Fast Track bill. The committee chairman, Sen. Orrin Hatch, has said he wants to introduce a Fast Track bill by the end of the month.<br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2015/02/anti-tpp-activists-rally-from-coast-to.html" rel="nofollow">Meanwhile, TPP protests</a> took place last week in the Pacific Northwest, Massachusetts, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Colorado and California.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;">Activists are ramping up pressure on <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2015/02/call-to-oregonians-stopping-fast-track.html" rel="nofollow">Ron Wyden, the Democratic senator from Oregon who holds the key to Fast Track legislation</a>. He hasn't said whether he supports Fast Track. If he does, he will provide cover for other Democrats to vote for it.&nbsp;</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YP_zK4IfUcg/VOuT4H8TAUI/AAAAAAAATkU/QuMGg5J-qH4/s1600/ron%2Bwyden%2Bmeme.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YP_zK4IfUcg/VOuT4H8TAUI/AAAAAAAATkU/QuMGg5J-qH4/s1600/ron%2Bwyden%2Bmeme.png" height="290" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white;">This week activists are holding</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;">&nbsp;rallies, protests, meetings, Town Halls and news conferences in Bridgeport, Conn., Chicago, Rockville, Md., New York City, New Hope, N.C., and other cities where members of Congress haven't seen the light. Teamsters political representatives are also holding under-the-radar screen meetings in district offices.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;"><br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Q3grjP53qg/VOt_T6YG3FI/AAAAAAAATkE/CBOtoODvxGk/s1600/Mike%2BQuigley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Q3grjP53qg/VOt_T6YG3FI/AAAAAAAATkE/CBOtoODvxGk/s1600/Mike%2BQuigley.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Activists ask Rep. Mike Quigley, 'Don't betray our trust.'</td></tr></tbody></table>Stay tuned. And call your representatives in Congress to tell them vote NO on Fast Track. It's fast, easy and free. Just dial&nbsp;<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;">&nbsp;</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;">888-979-9806.</b>Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-59655966541613737942015-02-23T11:54:00.000-05:002015-03-03T13:54:42.074-05:00Dispatch From West Virginia: Feb. 21-Feb. 22<div class="tr_bq">Our Teamster on the Ground reports on his weekend fighting right to work in West Virginia:</div><blockquote class="tr_bq">Saturday, Feb. 21&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">West Virginians are possibly the nicest, hardest working people I've ever met. West Virginia workers are riled, passionate and dedicated to the cause. Each day this past week, they fought to prevent their Legislature from enacting a right-to-work bill. Each day, more workers joined the fight. Each day, we became more hopeful that we will prevail.</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aoYUh5VyGBs/VOtVDsgVKQI/AAAAAAAATis/o7ilRb6P4Lw/s1600/wva%2Bworkers%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aoYUh5VyGBs/VOtVDsgVKQI/AAAAAAAATis/o7ilRb6P4Lw/s1600/wva%2Bworkers%2B1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Workers at the West Virginia state capital.</td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote class="tr_bq">Some people are saying politicians are not ready for a fight over right to work and it will die in committee. Others are saying they will continue to try to push it through. But no one is going to take a chance on optimism.</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bz7hV92Gb94/VOtaQF_50MI/AAAAAAAATjc/THCJOkycK0I/s1600/wva%2Bworkers%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bz7hV92Gb94/VOtaQF_50MI/AAAAAAAATjc/THCJOkycK0I/s1600/wva%2Bworkers%2B2.jpg" height="302" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside a legislative committee room in West Virginia.<br /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Johnny Sawyer and Luke Farley of Local 175 on the far right</span><br /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">&nbsp;and Kenny Perdue, West Virginia AFL-CIO President, on the left wearing the red tie.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote class="tr_bq">I spent an afternoon helping stuff envelopes with Local 175's Administrative Assistant Malisa Deweese. We sent out over 3,000-plus postcards to members. I even got to answer the phone a few times -- "<a href="http://www.teamsters175.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Local 175</a>, how may I help you?"&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Sunday, Feb. 22&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Today the wet snow kept me from driving long distances to videotape workers talking about what their union means to them.&nbsp;</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mkcSBR2313E/VOtaoP0HB5I/AAAAAAAATjk/kISpv5wBOhI/s1600/wva%2Bslush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mkcSBR2313E/VOtaoP0HB5I/AAAAAAAATjk/kISpv5wBOhI/s1600/wva%2Bslush.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West Virginia's wet snow.</td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote>So I took a short drive to the nearest Kroger's to try to speak with UFCW members.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>I went to the counter where three workers were gathered. They told me they were proud union members, but they graciously declined to be videotaped. I asked if they had co-workers willing to be interviewed, and if it would be OK to come back and tape them. They deferred to their manager, who stood nearby. I walked over, introduced myself as the "Teamster on the Ground" and asked.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>The store manager stood behind her employees and their union. She'd be happy to let us interview them. "Good luck finding someone who wants to be on camera." I told her I'd be back.</blockquote>Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-24436010438441150352015-02-23T07:52:00.000-05:002015-02-23T07:52:14.013-05:00Today's Teamster News 02.23.15<b>Teamsters</b><br /><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/facebook-shuttle-drivers-ratify-teamsters-contract-wsj-201204922--finance.html" rel="nofollow">Facebook shuttle drivers ratify new Teamsters contract: WSJ</a> &nbsp;Reuters &nbsp; … Loop Transportation, the contractor that employs the drivers and negotiated with Teamsters Local 853, cautioned that the agreement was not finalized and must be approved by Facebook...<br /><a href="http://www.transportintelligence.com/news/canadian-pacific-and-teamsters-canada-rail-conference-agree-to-binding-arbitration/12509/" rel="nofollow">Canadian Pacific and Teamsters Canada Rail Conference agree to binding arbitration</a> &nbsp; Transport Intelligence &nbsp; …Canadian Pacific and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference have agreed to enter into binding arbitration to put an end to the work stoppage by CP's locomotive engineers and conductors...<br /><b>Trade</b><br /><a href="http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/230490279" rel="nofollow">Obama to make TPP free trade sales pitch to American people</a> &nbsp;Big News Network &nbsp; …US President Barack Obama on Saturday began a major sales pitch to the US public to bring them round to the merits of free trade deals, an area in which he faces stiff resistance from many in his own Democratic party...<br /><a href="http://rinf.com/alt-news/featured/europeans-want-ttip-trade-deal-though-obama-blocks-making-terms-public/" rel="nofollow">Europeans Want TTIP Trade-Deal, though Obama Blocks Making Its Terms Public</a> &nbsp;RINF Alternative News &nbsp; …TTIP is a secretly negotiated trade deal between the U.S. and the EU, and all indications are that it will replace each nation’s drug-safety, product-safety, food-safety, environmental, and worker-protection, regulations and laws, placing them into the hands of panels composed of appointees of large international corporations, no longer in the hands of publicly elected officials, no longer in the hands of elected politicians, who need to face voters periodically in order to stay in power...<br /><b>State Battles</b><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/22/wisconsin-right-to-work_n_6731064.html" rel="nofollow">Wisconsin Could Be Right-To-Work In A Matter Of Days</a> &nbsp;Huffington Post &nbsp; …It's been more than two decades since Gov. Scott Walker (R) first pushed right-to-work legislation as a state lawmaker in Wisconsin. Now, all these years later, the famously anti-union governor may finally be getting his wish -- whether he likes it or not...<br /><a href="http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2015/02/22/second-fight-over-union-rights-comes-to-wisconsin-as-right-to-work-debate-looms/" rel="nofollow">Second fight over union rights comes to Wisconsin as right-to-work debate looms </a>&nbsp;Associated Press &nbsp; …The first step is a public hearing Tuesday before the state Senate's Labor Committee before the Senate takes it up for debate on Wednesday...<br /><b>War on Workers</b><br /><a href="http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/trend-temp-workers-may-not-be-temporary-5688" rel="nofollow">Trend in Temp Workers may not be Temporary</a> &nbsp;Economic Populist &nbsp; …America's third largest job creator is a temp agency called Kelly Services, which provided employment to 555,000 employees in 2014...<br /><a href="http://thehill.com/policy/finance/233399-ex-im-critics-pounce-after-bank-yanks-data" rel="nofollow">Ex-Im critics pounce after bank yanks data</a> &nbsp;The Hill &nbsp; …Critics of the Export-Import Bank are seething over the removal from a government Web site of previously public data earlier they say helps them detect cronyism…<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/20/us-oil-trains-virginia-idUSKBN0LO1Z520150220" rel="nofollow">Amid controversy, oil trains quietly rerouted through Virginia towns</a> &nbsp;Reuters &nbsp; …CSX Corp is temporarily rerouting up to five oil trains through this small riverside town to bypass the site of an explosive oil train derailment that occurred 90 miles north in Mount Carbon, West Virginia, on Monday...<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/23/us-usa-grains-rents-insight-idUSKBN0LR0EX20150223" rel="nofollow">Rent walkouts point to strains in U.S. farm economy</a> &nbsp;Reuters &nbsp; …Across the U.S. Midwest, the plunge in grain prices to near four-year lows is pitting landowners determined to sustain rental incomes against farmer tenants worried about making rent payments because their revenues are squeezed...<br /><a href="http://fortune.com/north-dakota-fracking/" rel="nofollow">Will America's Shale Boomtowns Bust? A Report From the Heart of North Dakota's Fracking Country</a> &nbsp;Fortune &nbsp; …After reaching a 12-month high of $108 last summer, U.S. benchmark petroleum prices have dramatically declined, to a price now hovering near $50 per barrel. That has shaken global markets and energy companies alike, causing oil producers to slash their capital expenditure budgets and announce layoffs...<br /><a href="http://www.wcvb.com/news/worker-dies-in-cantons-second-fatal-snowrelated-fall-in-5-days/31419928" rel="nofollow">Worker dies in Canton's second fatal snow-related fall in 5 days</a> &nbsp;WCVB &nbsp; …A worker fell 40 feet to his death Sunday while checking the roof of a building for snow removal...<br /><br />Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-68319347214372097192015-02-22T07:56:00.002-05:002015-02-22T07:56:46.363-05:00Today's Teamster News 02.22.15<b>Teamsters</b><br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/02/21/contract-reached-facebook-shuttle-drivers/23554295/" rel="nofollow">Union and company reach contract for Facebook shuttle drivers </a>&nbsp;USA Today &nbsp; …Facebook shuttle bus drivers can expect higher wages and better working conditions as part of a new contract agreement reached today. More than two-thirds of about 90 drivers voted unanimously Saturday to accept a contract negotiated by the Teamsters and South San Francisco-based Loop Transportation…<br /><b>Trade</b><br /><a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/02/22/business/tpp-accord-no-longer-expected-before-april/#.VOnDeShELww" rel="nofollow">TPP accord no longer expected before April</a> &nbsp;Japan Times &nbsp; …Japan and the United States had hoped the 12-member TPP talks would conclude as early as March, assuming the two countries could clinch an accord at a bilateral meeting in late February or early March. The delay reflects slow progress in U.S. congressional procedures to grant President Barack Obama trade promotion authority...<br /><b>State Battles</b><br /><a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/right-to-work-effort-winds-around-great-lakes-into-wisconsin-b99448869z1-293276551.html" rel="nofollow">Right-to-work effort winds around Great Lakes into Wisconsin</a> &nbsp;Milwaukee Journal Sentinel &nbsp; …This week, the right-to-work debate moves front and center in Wisconsin...<br /><a href="http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/Wisconsin-Republicans-plan-vote-on-right-to-work-next-week-292942941.html" rel="nofollow">NEW INFORMATION: Wisconsin Senate leader lays out timeline for right-to-work</a> &nbsp;Associated Press &nbsp; …Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Friday that a public hearing will be held Tuesday on the measure by the Senate Labor Committee. Debate will begin Wednesday in the Senate and continue until there's a vote...<br /><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/02/can-labor-survive-nevadas-republican-party/385578/" rel="nofollow">Can Labor Survive Nevada's Republican Party?</a> &nbsp;The Atlantic &nbsp; …For the first time in decades, the GOP controls the state's assembly, the senate, and the governor's mansion—and they're targeting unions...<br /><a href="http://m.santafenewmexican.com/news/legislature/udall-speaks-against-right-to-work-urges-more-funds-for/article_c4fa85fc-b57f-5fb3-9f50-f683f7a41a79.html?mode=jqm" rel="nofollow">Udall speaks against right-to-work, urges more funds for early ed</a> &nbsp;Santa Fe New Mexican &nbsp; …U.S. Sen. Tom Udall used his pulpit during a joint session of the New Mexico Legislature on Friday to weigh in on two of the most divisive issues facing state lawmakers this session...<br /><b>War on Workers</b><br /><a href="http://www.alternet.org/economy/america-land-low-pay-numbers-will-surprise-you" rel="nofollow">America, Land of Low Pay -- The Numbers Will Surprise You</a> &nbsp;Alternet &nbsp; …Each American produced an average of $140,000 in goods in 2013, but median wages were less than $28,000. Who's getting that money?...<br /><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-20/u-s-oil-workers-to-reject-7th-contract-offer-amid-strike" rel="nofollow">U.S. Oil Workers' Union Expands Biggest Plant Strike Since 1980</a> &nbsp;Bloomberg News &nbsp; …The United Steelworkers, which represents 30,000 U.S. oil workers, called on four more plants to join the biggest strike since 1980 as talks dragged on with Royal Dutch Shell Plc, negotiating a labor contract for oil companies...<br /><a href="http://www.vox.com/2015/2/19/8052189/long-term-unemployment" rel="nofollow">This is the scariest chart in the American economy today</a> &nbsp;Vox &nbsp; …The unemployment rate has come down a lot, but the share of unemployed workers who've been unemployed a long time is still at historic levels...<br /><a href="http://www.valleymorningstar.com/news/local_news/article_43d43e6a-b986-11e4-942f-1f3bc5198671.html" rel="nofollow">Inmates riot at Willacy County prison</a> &nbsp;Valley Star &nbsp; …Complaints over medical service led about 2,000 prisoners to riot Friday at the so-called tent-city prison here, setting fire to a tent-like dome while guards fired tear gas to try to control what Willacy County Sheriff Larry Spence called the prison’s worst disturbance since it opened nearly 10 years ago.Two officers and a prisoner suffered minor injuries before officials tried to settle the uprising late Friday afternoon at the Willacy County Correctional Center, said Issa Arnita, spokesman for Management &amp; Training Corp., the Utah company that operates the low security-level prison for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons…<br /><a href="ttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-18/the-rich-benefit-the-most-from-tax-breaks-designed-to-help-people-build-wealth?hootPostID=c470c66dd180989a4a1e1ba2d981ef86" rel="nofollow">The Rich Benefit the Most From Tax Breaks Designed to Help People Build Wealth</a> &nbsp;Bloomberg &nbsp; …The federal government spent $384 billion in 2013 on tax incentives that encourage savings, linked mainly to home ownership and retirement plans. Most of that money went to the rich...<br /><a href="http://conversableeconomist.blogspot.com/2015/02/investment-charges-when-mexico.html" rel="nofollow">Investment Charges When Mexico Privatized Social Security </a>&nbsp;Conversable Economist &nbsp; …"Fund managers charged an average load (a fee taken as a share of account contributions at the time of contribution) of 23 percent and an annual fee on assets under management of 0.63 percent, implying that a 100-peso deposit earning a 5 percent annual real return would only be worth 95.4 pesos after five years."...<br /><a href="http://pando.com/2015/02/20/big-tech-companies-cause-income-inequality-but-in-the-ways-you-think/" rel="nofollow">Big tech companies cause income inequality — but not in the ways you think</a> &nbsp;Pando Daily &nbsp; … these companies invest huge portions of their annual revenues into buying back stock to line the pockets of shareholders, not to mention keep the bulk of global profits safely offshore and out of the reach of US tax collectors. And because stock performance is often used as a key factor in determining executive compensation, buyback schemes may also boost a CEO’s take-home pay...<br /><a href="http://www.wpxi.com/news/ap/pennsylvania/coroner-worker-dies-when-rock-falls-in-pennsylvani/nkGYL/" rel="nofollow">Coroner: Worker dies when rock falls in Pennsylvania mine</a> &nbsp;WPXI &nbsp; …ndiana County Coroner Jerry L. Overman Jr. says in a news release that the man — 29-year-old Todd Trimble of Gallitzin — was installing roof bolts at Rosebud Heilwood mine on Friday afternoon when the rock fell and he was trapped underneath...<br /><br />Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-89188140178172311082015-02-21T07:48:00.002-05:002015-02-21T07:48:43.679-05:00Today's Teamster News 02.21.15<b>Teamsters</b><br /><a href="http://www.aviationpros.com/news/11848675/swissport-canada-and-teamsters-reach-collective-agreement" rel="nofollow">Swissport Canada And Teamsters Reach Collective Agreement</a> &nbsp;AviationPros &nbsp; ...Today, the Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, congratulated Swissport Canada Handling Inc. and the Canada Council of Teamsters on the renewal of their collective agreement. The agreement covers the Swissport Canada Handling Inc. unit, who work at Dorval and Mirabel airports in Montreal...<br /><a href="http://www.thefreepress.ca/news/292472871.html" rel="nofollow">Rail Strike Ends With Binding Arbitration</a> &nbsp;Free Press &nbsp; ...The rails were only empty for a day at Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) as the company and its union put a halt to the 24-hour strike after agreeing to binding arbitration, mere hours before back-to-work legislation could be put into place...<br /><a href="http://www.thedailymail.net/news/article_375238e2-b8ad-11e4-96ea-7385338fb246.html" rel="nofollow">Legislature Ratifies Agreement In Unanimous Vote</a> &nbsp;Daily Mail &nbsp; ...After months of deliberation, an agreement was reached between Greene County and Greene County Public Employees, Teamsters Local 294 affiliated with International Brotherhood of Teamsters...<br /><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/ftc-files-lawsuit-challenging-sysco-us-foods-merger-1424373232" rel="nofollow">FTC Files Lawsuit Challenging Sysco-US Foods Merger</a> &nbsp;Wall Street Journal &nbsp; ...A divided Federal Trade Commission sued Thursday to block Sysco Corp. ’s acquisition of rival US Foods Inc., a long-awaited move that sets the stage for a major court battle over a plan to combine the nation’s two largest food distributors...<br /><b>Trade</b><br /><a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/obama-begins-sales-pitch-on-trade-to-wary-united-states-public/articleshow/46323837.cms" rel="nofollow">Obama begins sales pitch on trade to wary United States public</a> &nbsp; Reuters &nbsp; ...President Barack Obama on Saturday began a broad sales pitch to the US public about the merits of free trade deals, an area in which he faces stiff resistance from many in his own Democratic party...<br /><a href="http://www.dailycamera.com/letters/ci_27567920/sally-hempy-stop-this-tpp-deal" rel="nofollow">Sally Hempy: Stop this TPP deal</a> (LTE) &nbsp;Daily Camera &nbsp; …The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is similar to NAFTA and a dozen other so called free-trade deals that have turned out poorly for America but very well for transnational corporations...<br /><b>State Battles</b><br /><a href="http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/state-and-regional/wisconsin-senate-to-vote-next-week-on-right-to-work/article_01a8784a-a673-54e8-a0bc-0085321666a3.html" rel="nofollow">Wisconsin Senate To Vote Next Week On Right-To-Work Bill</a> &nbsp;La Crosse Tribune &nbsp; ...The Wisconsin Legislature will take up a right-to-work bill next week in a surprise move that runs contrary to the wishes of likely 2016 presidential candidate Gov. Scott Walker who had urged lawmakers to delay any debate until later in the year...<br /><a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/gop-leaders-call-for-special-session-next-week-on-right-to-work-b99448708z1-292939361.html" rel="nofollow">Scott Walker says he'll sign fast-tracked right-to-work bill</a> &nbsp;Milwaukee Journal Sentinel &nbsp; …After saying in his re-election bid that he wouldn't push so-called right-to-work legislation, Gov. Scott Walker committed Friday to signing it, acting after GOP leaders fast-tracked the proposal for a Senate vote next week...<br /><a href="http://wvmetronews.com/2015/02/19/cole-says-he-wont-push-right-to-work-if-house-doesnt-have-time/" rel="nofollow">Cole Says He Won’t Push Right To Work If House Doesn’t Have Time</a> &nbsp;West Virginia Metro News &nbsp; ...It’s possible the issue won’t make it through this legislative session. State Senate President Bill Cole (R-Mercer) said Thursday on MetroNews Talkline he wants the Senate to take up Right To Work, but they’re not going to do it if the House doesn’t have time to address it before the end of the regular session...<br /><a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-rauner-budget-higher-education-met-0220-20150219-story.html#page=1" rel="nofollow">U. Of I., Other Universities Brace For Rauner Funding Cuts</a> &nbsp;Chicago Tribune &nbsp; ...Gov. Bruce Rauner drew big applause three weeks ago when he rolled out his vision of making the University of Illinois the best college in the country, but those cheers turned to jeers the other day when he proposed cutting public university spending by nearly $400 million...<br /><b>War on Workers</b><br /><a href="http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_6f253952-b8b4-11e4-a4a8-0f94a146b882.html" rel="nofollow">Trucks Bound For Mexico Choke Traffic Flow</a> &nbsp;Brownsville Herald &nbsp; ...One trucker, standing on a fellow trucker’s ride stopped in the middle of International Boulevard, said most of the Mexico-bound semis were coming from the Port of Brownsville...<br /><a href="http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82871896/" rel="nofollow">Shipping lines and dockworkers reach deal; port shutdown averted</a> &nbsp;Los Angeles Times &nbsp; …Shipping companies and dockworkers reached a tentative deal late Friday on a new labor contract, avoiding a shutdown of 29 ports that would have choked off trade through the West Coast...<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/20/nyregion/awarded-stolen-wages-workers-struggle-to-collect.html?_r=0" rel="nofollow">Awarded Stolen Wages, Workers Struggle to Collect</a> &nbsp;New York Times &nbsp; …Mr. Lino, like Ms. Jimenez, Mr. Cao and their several dozen co-workers, has not collected anything close to the money that various agencies, boards and courts have found was due him. State and federal laws intended to protect people from being cheated out of their earnings often yield only pieces of paper declaring what they are owed, not actual cash...<br /><a href="http://www.newrepublic.com/article/121096/right-work-legislation-impoverishes-working-class-men" rel="nofollow">The Death of American Unions Is Killing American Marriage </a>&nbsp;New Republic &nbsp; … Poverty itself, it seems, is the chief agent of marital decline among the poor. This is especially true of falling wages among working class men, who have borne the brunt of the right-wing war on labor unions…] [M]en in the bottom quartile of earnings have had a wage cut of 60 percent, and a contemporaneous drop in marriage rates to about 50 percent, from 86 percent…<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/20/opinion/paul-krugman-cranking-up-for-2016.html?ref=todayspaper" rel="nofollow">Cranking Up For 2016</a>&nbsp;(opinion) &nbsp;New York Times &nbsp; ...Scott Walker, the governor of Wisconsin, is said to be a rising contender for the Republican presidential nomination. So, on Wednesday, he did what, these days, any ambitious Republican must, and pledged allegiance to charlatans and cranks...Obama begins sales pitch on trade to wary United States public...<br /><a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/worker-killed-in-madison-construction-site-accident-b99449117z1-293095121.html" rel="nofollow">Worker killed in Madison construction site accident</a> &nbsp;Associated Press &nbsp; …Officials say the worker was injured when the masonry at the site collapsed just after 7:30 a.m. Friday. Fire Department spokeswoman Lori Wirth said the man had been working near a stairwell at the rear of the building...<br /><br />Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328899339135469869.post-69384756136993540472015-02-20T17:12:00.002-05:002015-02-25T11:37:25.082-05:00Dispatch from West Virginia: Feb. 15-Feb. 20There's a fight going on against right to work in West Virginia, and an IBT staffer -- we'll call him Our Teamster on the Ground -- is in the thick of it. This is the first in a series of daily dispatches about what it's like to be there.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VpCOVEL6OJg/VOeUvaYGh6I/AAAAAAAATiQ/ODg7fGdpZHM/s1600/wva%2Brtw%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VpCOVEL6OJg/VOeUvaYGh6I/AAAAAAAATiQ/ODg7fGdpZHM/s1600/wva%2Brtw%2B1.jpg" height="346" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Here's what happened this week:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">On Monday, many Teamsters joined &nbsp;their fellow union members in a crowd of more than 1,000 workers to protest legislation to establish right to work and to prohibit prevailing wages. Despite severe winter weather, below-freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall, the workers came from all over the state in an incredible display of solidarity.&nbsp;</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ljMtf005qw/VOeWP23Mk8I/AAAAAAAATic/4lexVR0xPhI/s1600/wva%2Brtw%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ljMtf005qw/VOeWP23Mk8I/AAAAAAAATic/4lexVR0xPhI/s1600/wva%2Brtw%2B2.jpg" height="212" width="400" /></a></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">On Tuesday I finally had a chance to visit Teamsters Local 175, where I met with Recording Secretary Johnny Sawyer and his wonderful staff. They sure know how to make a guy feel welcome.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Later during the week the Teamsters invited me to their local hangout, a restaurant owned by a former Teamster, where we sat at the Teamster table with members of the Carpenters Union and discussed our agendas and strategies.</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Hundreds of union leaders and members came out to the Statehouse again Thursday morning, flooding a public hearing in the House chamber on a &nbsp;the prevailing wage bill.&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Social media bustled with activity, too, with over 1,000 Facebook supporters added in under three days. We have also launched a channel on YouTube and an Instagram profile. Press coverage on the local news has been tremendous, too. &nbsp;&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">In the labor movement, there's nothing like a good fight. As frustrating as our politicians may be today, they’ve galvanized a restless giant here in Charleston -- the West Virginia workforce. These guys work harder and tougher than any group of workers I've ever seen. And in just four days, I’ve seen it firsthand over and over again -- from dedicated hotel staff and store owners to the Teamsters at the Hertz car rental and the miners and building trade union members at the capital each day. Not to mention all the city workers shoveling and plowing snow at 4:00 every morning.</blockquote><br /><div><br /></div>Teamster Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07063527689152007034noreply@blogger.com